


The Future After Royal

by MonkKind



Category: Persona 5, Persona 5 Royal, Persona Series
Genre: AkiraxSumi, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, P5R Spoilers, Post-Canon, Wholesome
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:00:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 65,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23806528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MonkKind/pseuds/MonkKind
Summary: Spoilers for P5R ahead. DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT FINISHED P5R1 Year after their final mission as Phantom Thieves, Akira finds himself moving back to Tokyo after a full year of missing the hustle and bustle of Shibuya, the fresh smell of coffee from Leblanc, and his girlfriend, Sumire Yoshizawa. As the rest of the Phantom Thieves join him on his return to Tokyo, The Thieves are reunited once again to join the couple on their journey after the events of Persona 5 Royal.This is crossposted on FF.net
Relationships: Kurusu Akira/Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi, Persona 5 Protagonist/Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi
Comments: 69
Kudos: 262





	1. The Way Back Home

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: Hello and welcome to my story! This will be expanding upon the Persona 5 Royal Universe and I'm trying to put my own spin on what happens after the gang splits up. There will be spoilers for Persona 5 Royal and the Third Semester so keep that in mind if you want to read. For now, this is my wholesome spin on the story of Royal. I hope you enjoy!

Almost a year has passed since the Phantom Thieves last made their move, and to be honest, Akira missed the action and the adventure that came along with it. He enjoyed being the Trickster that saved society and would always bring that cocky flair around with him, while carrying Morgana around in his bag. But as they say, life moves on. The team officially disbanded on the 13th of February 20XX and soon everyone made plans to explore what the future holds.

“It’s about time we start packing, Akira,” Morgana said, snapping him out of his rush of memories. “We need to be in Tokyo in about ten hours if you are planning to surprise Sumire at the meet tomorrow.”

“We’ve got time Morgana, don’t worry, and besides, you wouldn’t let me pack last night anyways.” Akira replied, and then jokingly added, “How about you go to sleep and see how it feels for a change?” 

“Fine, I’ll go take a walk down around your neighborhood. I still can’t believe that the leader of the Phantom Thieves stayed in such a rural place. You knew so much about the city that I thought you had prior experience!”

“I just did a little bit of digging around before I got sent away, nothing too special. Now hurry up and go, I’ve got some packing to do.”

“Alright! Jeez, I’m not that dense. I can take a hint you know,” Morgana grumbled. “But make sure you actually finish packing, because I’m not helping you.”

Akira had rented out his own apartment near his high school with all the money he had saved from Shido’s ship and Maruki’s Lab, partially because he didn’t want to see his parents again when he came home as a free man. But after his spring break, he would be moving back to Shibuya and staying with Sojiro again while starting college. It had only been a year since he was last there but he ultimately felt like Shibuya’s natural hustle and bustle had grown on him, and he’s been missing it ever since.

“I’m finally moving back,” Akira muttered to himself as he started packing all of his belongings away into two large cardboard boxes. “I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces.”

He had secretly planned with Sojiro the night before to gather the Thieves in Leblanc two days from now, so he could finally get to see them all again, as well as have a little surprise party for the team. It was time for the return of their leader after all, it would be appropriate that the whole team would be there to celebrate his return.

He was just about to finish packing when suddenly his phone went off. He checked the screen and was surprised to see Sumire calling him. 

_ “Hello Akira-senpai?” _ came an enthusiastic voice from his phone,  _ “Are you still awake?” _

“I love you,” Akira replied, knowing full well what comes next.

_ “I love you too senpai! Wait! That wasn’t meant to, I, um, uh….” _

“Still the same as always, please never change Sumire,” Akira sighed happily as he set the call on speaker and continued packing. “Anyways what are you doing up so late? Aren’t you supposed to be getting rest for the meet tomorrow?”

_ “Yeah, I should be asleep but I can’t stop thinking about tomorrow, since this is my first meet since last summer. I just hope I do well.” _

“Of course you will, after all, you’re Sumire Yoshizawa, aren’t you?”

_ “Right! Thanks senpai! I’ll be sure to bring home the trophy tomorrow!” _

“I can’t wait for the good news. We’ll celebrate the next time we meet.”

_ “I’ll be going now. I’ll call you tomorrow once the meet is over, OK?” _

“Right. Goodnight beautiful. Sleep tight,” Akira said as he ended the call. “Call me tomorrow eh? I think there will be no need for that,” he smirked as he finished up his packing.

_ Take Your Time _

“Hey sleepyhead, wake up!” yelled Morgana, “ The train leaves in half an hour, so get your ass up and move!”

“Alright alright, you don’t have to yell Morgana,” Akira answered sleepily, as he went about his morning routine much quicker than normal.

He rushed out of the house with fifteen minutes to spare with only a backpack full of necessities and Morgana as he ran to the station, arriving out of breath and needing a drink. 

He took out a Dr. Salt NEO and began to chug half the can down in one go as Morgana looked at him with an exasperated look on his face, mumbling something about breaking habits.

The train arrived no more than two minutes later. Akira got on and started to make himself at home, bracing himself for the long ride. Morgana was soon let out of his confined space and started lounging on the chair next to him.

“I can’t believe a year has gone by so fast, and everyone is coming back to Tokyo again!” Morgana meowed excitedly, “You’d think that after those heart-warming goodbyes they all gave last year would have stuck around a little longer, then again, this is the Phantom Thieves we’re talking about here, we can’t be apart for long anyways.”

“Yeah…” Akira replied, drifting off into thought as he looked out of the window. “Even I’m surprised that they wanted to move back to Tokyo so suddenly. Home really is where the Heart is.”

Ann had decided to take her education overseas, while Ryuji would move to a school further away to continue physical rehab and track. Haru and Makoto decided to live together while pursuing their separate goals outside of Tokyo while Futaba started high school to fuel her competition against Kana-chan. Only Yusuke would be continuing his Fine Arts Scholarship at Kosei High and then moving to Kosei University later, making him the odd one out. All the thieves were taking steps in their lives to look towards the future after the encounter with Maruki in the actualised reality, so Akira felt really happy for the team. The thieves would all be Tokyo again, just like it was meant to be.

_ Take Your Time _

“Shibuya. This is Shibuya, the last stop on this line. We hope you had a pleasant journey with us and hope to see you again!”

The train screeched into the station and pulled to a standstill as many people started to take their leave. Akira, having just woken up, took his own sweet time to place Morgana in his extra bag and gathered his belongings to exit the train. He was thoroughly exhausted through the long haul, not having been able to get any sleep as he was scrolling through all of the pictures he had saved on his phone in reminiscence. He slowly made his way over to the ever so familiar line he had used for an entire school year. He slowly boarded the train and made his way to Yongen-Jaya.

“The cafe seems as deserted as ever” Morgana whispered to him on his shoulder as they made their way over to the designated place. “You’d think the chief would get more customers now that it’s spring break.”

“Well the cafe being deserted is also what helped us during our time as the Phantom Thieves, so we can’t really complain about that”

“True. It made for an excellent hideout.”

As Akira walked through the door he heard the chime of the little bell that announced the entrance of any customers to the cafe, and he saw Sojiro behind the counter, washing the dishes. 

“Welcome. Have a sea-” Sojiro started as he looked up, and saw who exactly his ‘customer’ was.

“Hello Boss. Forgotten me already? I would’ve thought you remembered me after all we went through last year” Akira smirked, as he went behind the counter to give him a hug.

“Welcome back, kid. It’s great to see you again”

“Same here Boss.”

“So how’ve you been kid? It’s been a while since we last had a good talk. Here sit down, I’ll make you some curry.” Sojiro started, “It must have been a tiring night on the train, but still though why would you ask me to call everyone here tomorrow if you were going to come today?”

“I thought I’d give my sweetheart a little surprise at her gymnastics meet today and then have a little private time,” Akira responded, as he sat at the counter. “I’ve been OK, but being back at ‘home’ didn’t really feel like it y’know? I still got treated the same as when I left, so I’d rather be here with a family that cared about me instead.”

“Let me out! I can’t stand being in here for too long! You know that! I want some curry too!” 

Oh right, Morgana was in his bag too.

“You brought the cat too eh? As noisy as ever, but I can’t seem to be annoyed. If I remember, you can understand him, yeah?” Sojiro asked as Akira let Morgana out of the bag. “He really never stops meowing.”

“Yeah, Morgana can talk, although I wish you could hear him too.” Akira chuckled as he pet Morgana. “He wants in on some curry too, would you mind making a little extra? It’s been ages since we’ve both had your curry.”

“Didn’t I give you those notes? You should be able to make it yourself.” Sojiro sighed, as he headed over to the pot and started to prepare the meal. “But I guess it  _ has _ been a while, so have a treat, on the house. I take it you want coffee too yeah?”

Akira nodded once. “If at all possible. Thanks Boss”

“Don’t mention it.” He waved his hand, while using the other to stir the curry. “Although you still have one debt left unpaid, so you’re gonna be helping out in the shop after tomorrow.”

“And here I thought I had settled everything when I left. This wouldn’t happen to be about White Day would it?” Akira said as he facepalmed, “Alright then, I accept. I still haven’t thanked you properly yet, so I may as well do it sooner than later.”

Sojiro set the plate of curry in front of him and turned to store his ingredients “Good. Now here’s your curry and coffee. Hurry up and finish it, the store’s gonna be opening soon, and you have somewhere to go, don’t you?” 

“Right. Thanks for the meal.”

“Oh yeah, speaking of White Day, how did it go? You never told me when you came back, although I did hear from the restaurant about your reservation.”

“It went amazingly well. I followed all of your steps and she went as crimson as her hair when I pulled out the flowers. If you hadn’t told me what to do on the day before, I would have forgotten it entirely.”

Sojiro simply shook his head. “You really never do change, kid”

_ Take Your Time _

“Alright, I’ll be going now Boss! See you in the evening!” Akira waved as he walked out of the store with a happy smile on his face, and Morgana in tow. Sumire’s meet would start in an hour and he couldn’t wait to see the look on her face.


	2. Together, Forever

_Take Your Time_

“Odaiba. This is Odaiba.”

“Wait, Odaiba? You didn’t tell me the meet was in Odaiba!” Morgana exclaimed in surprise, “Maybe that’s the real reason she’s so nervous, y’know, since this was where……”

Maruki’s Lab. The final job for the Phantom Thieves. It still gave Akira nightmares until today, he would wake up in cold sweats in the middle of the night, imagining what would have happened should he have accepted Maruki’s deal. 

“It’ll be alright. We’re both here to cheer her on. I’m sure she’ll do just fine. She’s probably getting ready right now, so let’s go check up on her.” Akira sighed, standing in front of the newly built stadium. “This place still gives me chills when I think about it though.”

He was immediately greeted by the person at the front desk as he walked through the door. “Hello and what can I do for you today? Are you here to spectate the gymnastics meet?”

“Yeah, but before that, I’m looking for a participant, her name is Sumire Yoshizawa,” Akira replied, as cheerfully as possible. “Do you know where I could find her? I was hoping to catch her before the meet starts.”

The receptionist shook her head. “I’m sorry but entry to the participants room is strictly prohibited unless the participant themselves grants you permission. If you’d like I can send a call to the room to ask her yourself? I’ll just need your name and I’ll get right to it.”

“Would it be possible not to mention my name? I’d like to surprise her before she goes up on stage.” Akira asked, a little hesitantly. “This is the first time we’ll be seeing each other for a year and I’d like to put a little spring in her step and cheer her on.”

There was a brief moment of silence as the receptionist thought about Akira’s proposal. Akira noticed her furrowed brow as she tried to think about what to do, before finally;

The receptionist sighed, briefly. “Alright, I’ll give the room a call. I’ve got a feeling that you two are close, so I’ll see what I can do for you.”

“Thank you so much,” Akira said humbly, as he watched the receptionist fumble with the office phone. “I really appreciate it.”

She simply waved her hand. “Don’t mention it.” 

“Ah hello? Is this Yoshizawa-san speaking?”

…………..

“I see, you’re her coach….”

“That’s probably the coach you told me about right? What was her name? Hira…. Hira-something?” Morgana whispered from inside the bag.

“Yeah, Coach Hiraguchi. Sumire and Kasumi’s coach from way back when.” Akira whispered back, hoping no one was paying attention to him as he conspicuously whispered to a bag. “I’ve only met her twice but from the way Sumire talks about her, you can tell that she means the world to her.”

“Yes, there’s a guest that wants to see Yoshizawa-san before the meet starts. Would the both of you be OK with that?”

………..

“Alright, perfect! They’ll be over there in a few minutes. Good luck!”

Akira breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the receptionist put the phone down to come back and convey the good news.

The receptionist got out from behind the counter and beckoned Akira to follow her. “Follow me, I’ll guide you to her room.”

Akira nodded as the receptionist took the lead, guiding him through the hallway of similar rooms he assumed to be in use by other competitors. Before long, they stopped in front of a room that looked no different from the others, except for a lone good luck charm that seemed to be on the floor in front of the door.

“This is the room. I’ll be going now. I’m sure you have a lot of catching up to do.”

Akira nodded once more, and thanked her again as she walked back to the front desk. He picked the good luck charm off the floor and took a deep breath before opening the room door as quietly as possible. He quickly scouted around the room and saw Sumire facing the opposite direction and talking to Coach Hiraguchi. She looked at him in surprise as Akira signalled to her to act normal, which to his relief, she picked up on and continued the conversation as he proceeded to sneak up behind Sumire.

“Well, someone’s eager. This is the first time you’ve ever been this excited to compete in a long while,” Hiraguchi observed. “Can I ask what brought along this change in attitude?” 

“Well my I spoke to Akira-senpai yesterday, the one that you met last year, and I really want to bring back good results to impress him, although I can’t help but feel a slight bit nervous.” Sumire replied, a slight blush appearing on her face. “He also promised to celebrate with me, so I can’t wait to see him again.”

Hiraguchi seemed amused. “What would you say if I told you he came down to watch the meet in person?”

Sumire sighed in dismay. “As much as I would love him to, I don’t think so. He’s back in his hometown now, and he’s probably starting college soon. I doubt we’ll see each other again so soon.”

“There’s that pessimism talking again Sumire. And here I thought that you’d have more faith in me.” Akira teased, faking agony, as he watched Sumire turn around in shock, suddenly speechless from hearing his voice. His smirk turned into a soft smile as he managed to get out a single word. “.....Surprise….!” 

“Senpai? You’re here!? But…. how? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” Sumire managed to get out before she enveloped him in a hug. “I’ve missed you, Senpai.”

Akira readily reciprocated the hug. “I’ve missed you too, Sumire.” 

The two of them stayed in that position for a good while, neither of them wanting to let the other go, bathing in the emotions they haven’t felt for an entire year. The warm embrace of their partner in love, together, forever. That was all until…..

“Mreow! Let me out! How long do you expect me to stay in here for?!”

Akira and Sumire snapped out of their loving embrace, before Sumire took a step away, flushing crimson as she looked the opposite direction. Akira sighed and let Morgana out of his bag.

“Ahhhh, that’s better…” Morgana purred, as Hiraguchi watched the duo in interest.

“Sorry for the intrusion, Coach Hiraguchi,” Akira apologised, “I thought I’d give Sumire a short visit before the meet starts, to let her know I’m here to cheer her on. In person” 

Hiraguchi shook her head. “It’s no problem at all. If anything, I should be thanking you for showing up. When you’re around, she always seems to perform her best. By the way…,” she began, motioning to Sumire, who was now conversing with Morgana as she pulled him into a hug. “When did she start talking to cats?”

“Can’t!.....Breathe!...Please!...”

Akira chuckled, seeing the absurdity of where she was coming from. “It’s a long story, but I don’t feel like I’m in the right place to be telling you this, as she did go through a tough time which I’m sure you’re aware of. I’m sure Sumire will open up to you one day.”

“I can’t wait to hear it.” Hiraguchi smiled, as she turned to Sumire, who had just let Morgana go. “Sumire, I’m sure you’ll do amazing, with now your coach and boyfriend to cheer you on. Isn’t that right?”

Sumire flushed even harder than before, as she looked towards the both of them, with an embarrassed yet confident smile and agreed. “Right! I **will** bring back that trophy!”

“Attention, all competitors, please make your way towards the backstage. The meet will begin shortly.”

“Looks like it’s time for you to go, Sumire. Good luck out there. I’ll be here to cheer you on. Don’t worry about your boyfriend either, I’ll keep him company.”

Sumire nodded and headed towards the door, but she suddenly stopped, and started slowly looking around for something.

“Looking for this?” Akira laughed as she looked back and saw what he was holding. “I found it on the ground outside. I’m sure you’ll do fine, even without it, but here,” He tossed the charm towards her as she swiftly caught it with one arm.

“Thanks Senpai! I’ll be going now!”

The door slammed shut as Sumire rushed towards the backstage area as Akira sighed and shook his head. “She really never changes, does she?” 

“Yeah, tell me about it.”

_Take Your Time_

“Do you have a seat? You could sit with me if you’d like. Us coaches have a V.I.P. area, so to speak.”

“I’ll take you up on that offer.”

Akira sat down next to Coach Hiraguchi, and let Morgana out of his bag, as he proceeded to lay on his lap. The three of them were only here for one competitor after all, so it was only natural that conversation struck.

“Sumire told me that you had a hand in helping me out of juvie last year. I really appreciate it.” Akira told her humbly. “I’m thankful that I managed to get out as quick as I did.”

“It was no trouble at all. I saw the kind of guy you were, and I don’t think you come off as the kind who would turn into a delinquent.” Hiraguchi replied, kindly. “But I should be thanking you too. I assume you were the one that helped Sumire see herself as who she really is. She started coming to training nearly 2 years ago thinking she was her sister. I can only imagine how much pain she went through when Kasumi passed away by protecting her from that car. But to think she would be scarred that much by survivor’s guilt. I wanted to help her, yet, I didn’t. I just couldn’t bring myself to confront her about it, so I decided to let her escape it on her own. **You** helped Sumire gain that confidence, and look where it’s brought her. You truly are a one of a kind guy, and I’m sure she realises that too. She’s one lucky girl.”

Akira simply looked forward. “It was no problem at all. She was just another person who needed some external help. Falling in love with her was not the plan though.” He let off a light chuckle. “Although now I couldn’t imagine a day without her.”

_Take Your Time_

“Next up, is **Sumire Yoshizawa!** ”

Sumire took a deep breath, made her way confidently onto the stage, and got into her starting position. 

“You may begin.”

The way she danced with her ribbon, how she threw it up into the air and caught it on the way down, how she spun with such elegance, and the way she cartwheeled with grace. Akira had no words to describe the sight that he was seeing, as he continued to behold her magnificent performance.

“Wow! Look at her go! Yoshizawa-san really has been working hard. You’re one lucky guy Akira.” Morgana admired. “She’s got first place in the bag for sure!”

_Take Your Time_

“In **First Place** , we have………. **Sumire Yoshizawa!** ”

The crowd erupted into applause as Sumire beamed with joy, and gleefully went up to accept the trophy. As her eyes met with Akira’s, she put on her best smile and he smiled right back at her, as happy for her as he could be. 

“Sumire Yoshizawa, how do you feel?” pressed the announcer, looking for anything he could get out of this post competition interview. “Is there anyone you would like to shout out, or give thanks to?”

“I feel great, but I was also really really nervous, I’m so glad I won!” Sumire smiled, happily. “I’d like to thank my Dad, my coach, and my group of friends for helping me time after time again! I couldn’t be here without them!” 

“Everyone give another round of applause for **Sumire Yoshizawa!** Your Spring meet champion!”

_Take Your Time_

“I did it Akira-senpai! I won!” Sumire shouted with glee as the two of them walked back to the train station after saying goodbye to Coach Hiraguchi. “I really won! This feels so surreal! I’m not dreaming am I?”

“No you’re not, calm down. Breathe….” Akira chuckled. “But congratulations. I knew you could do it.”

“Yeah, what he said! Congratulations Yoshizawa-san! We’re gonna have a massive party tomorrow to celebrate!” cheered Morgana. “There’s gonna be hot pot, curry, sushi and….. Ooh ooh! I want fatty tuna this time Akira! And salmon roe…..ooh I can’t wait!”

“Thanks Morgana-senpai! I’m already looking forward to it! Oh, speaking of food….”

Akira suddenly heard a large growl, as Sumire looked at him, slightly embarrassed.

Akira looked at her, a brief look of concern crossed his face.“You haven’t eaten since this morning, huh? Don’t worry, my treat. What do you wanna eat?” 

“Are you sure? I don’t mean to be a burden, I cou-”

“I’m sure, Sumire.” Akira quickly shot her down. “You’re my girlfriend. It’s my job to treat you from time to time. I even promised you a celebration, didn’t I?”

“Well, in that case…..”

_Take Your Time_

“Thanks for the food!”

Akira and Morgana could only stare in amazement at the huge bowl of ramen she had ordered for herself. It was at least three times the size of his own bowl! 

“I swear every time I eat with you, your meals seem to get bigger and bigger,” Akira said while eating from his own bowl. “Not that I mind, of course.”

“If I ate like you I wouldn’t be able to move for a few days, hell, a few weeks!” Morgana chimed in. “How do you do it?”

“Well, my practice does burn a lot of calories, so I always know when I can and can’t indulge.” Sumire spoke after swallowing her food. “Although I don’t usually get to indulge like this, I'm feeling extra hungry today after the meet.”

As they both started to finish up their food, their phones suddenly started blowing up at the same time. Curious, Akira checked his own to find some new chat messages in the group chat.

_Phantom Thieves Group Chat_

_Ryuji: Congrats Yoshizawa! I just saw the news! We’ll celebrate sometime soon, yeah?_

_Ann: Congratulations Yoshizawa-san! I’m really happy for you!_

_Yusuke: Well done Yoshizawa-san, an excellent job. I think perhaps we ought to celebrate._

_Makoto: Congratulations Yoshizawa-san! You did well out there!_

_Haru: My sincerest congratulations Yoshizawa-chan! We’ll be sure to celebrate soon!_

_Futaba: Eh, I’d give a heartwarming congrats if everyone didn’t do it already. Anyways great job!_

“Would you look at that. News sure does spread quick.” Akira smiled as he watched his girlfriend type out a response to thank them as fast as she could.

_Sumire: Thank you all so much! Let’s all celebrate together!_

_Yusuke: Perhaps we could do it tomorrow? Boss did tell us to gather, although I’m not quite sure as to why._

_Ryuji: Alright then. We celebrate tomorrow! No one’s got any plans, right?_

_Ann: No one except Akira……_

Akira looked at his phone as he sighed, and typed his response.

_Don’t worry about me, you guys can go on ahead_

_Ryuji: Sorry dude, I wish you could be here with us. Next time, k?_

_Yusuke: As am I, however if we have your permission, we’ll move forward with our plan._

_Makoto: Right. We’ll see each other tomorrow._

As Sumire put down her phone and finished eating she still had a question on her mind. “You didn’t tell them that you’re back? Why?”

“I wanted to do the same thing I did with you. I don’t get a chance to surprise you guys often, so what else would I do, now that I’m back?” Akira smirked, as he finished his soup and slammed the bowl on the desk. “Ahhhh that hits the spot. Don’t worry about the bill, I’ll take care of it.”

“Thanks Senpai. I really enjoyed that meal.”

“As did I.” 

_Take Your Time_

“Shibuya. This is Shibuya.” 

“Well it looks like this is where we part ways Akira-senpai.” Sumire mumbled, as she visibly saddened. “I’m sure Dad’s worried about me, so I should give him a call, although I do wish I could stay the night with you instead.”

Akira, failing to see the fault in her reasoning, had only one question. 

“Why not?”


	3. Just the Two of Us, Alone, Together

“Wha-? Senpai, you can’t possibly-”

“But I am.” Akira interjected with confidence, all the overflowing charm he had levelled up during his second year showing off. “Come over to Leblanc and stay the night, Sumire.”

Sumire’s entire face turned red as Akira’s invitation played again and again in her mind. She felt like her heart could melt right then and there. She knew her boyfriend was a smooth talker, yet she couldn’t help but fall for it time and time again. 

In the end, she decided to follow her easily manipulatable heart.

“OK….. I accept your offer.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Akira smiled happily. 

_*Bzz* *Bzz* *Bzz*_

“That would be my Dad. I’ll head home to tell him the good news and pack some necessities for later. Sorry for cutting this short, but I guess I’ll see you later?”

“Right.” answered Akira as she turned to walk to her train. He waited until she disappeared from view before he made his way home, thinking about the night that they would spend together.

_Take Your Time_

“Ah, you’re back…..” Sojiro greeted him as he stepped through the door. “It’s nice to see you again kid.”

“Same here Boss.” Akira replied cheerfully. “Did you hear the news? Sumire won first place at the gymnastics meet! The Thieves are planning to come here to celebrate tomorrow. Everything _is_ prepared right?”

Sojiro shook his head in disapproval. “Of course everything is prepared. Who d’you think you’re talking to? Oh and by the way, I think Futaba knows you’re back. She was going on earlier about how she wiretapped your phone, but she told me to tell you that she’s not gonna snitch.” 

Well that’s to be expected. She _did_ wiretap Leblanc for about a year, so truth be told I’m not too surprised,” Akira admitted. “By the way, Boss….”

“Hm? What is it?”

“You wouldn’t happen to have a twin sized futon would you?”

“What would you need that for? You’ve already got a bed, you don’t-” Sojiro began, as he suddenly understood and gave him his usual smirk. “Ahh, I see. Already taking the big leap, eh? I’ll close shop early and I’ll let you two enjoy your time alone. The futon will be here before dinner time.”

Akira turned a light shade of red, as he went upstairs to relax for a bit. 

“Oh yeah, kid? Your stuff just arrived, so I put the boxes where I put them last time.” Sojiro called up the stairs. “I’ve also been cleaning your room from time to time, so it’s not too dusty.”

“I owe you one boss.” Akira shouted back downstairs. “Y’see? You can be nice if you try!”

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?”

Akira let off a light laugh as he went to examine his old room. The heart of the Phantom Thieves operations. His old desk that he used to make infiltration tools now lay barren of all the materials he would use to make lock-picks and smoke bombs. His old decoration shelf was empty and looked a little lacking, while the plant next to it looked devoid and was starting to wither. 

“Sumire’s coming over eh? I didn’t know you were such a playboy Akira! It’s only your fourth date and she’s already staying over for the night?” Morgana teased, playfully. “You better not get any wild ideas, Joker!” 

Akira gave Morgana the death stare, wanting to make sure his cat wasn’t getting any ideas of snitching. “You won’t be saying a word about this, or I’ll personally make sure that the hope and guidance of humanity will **not** be alive the next day. You hear me?”

“Yeah, yeah, what happens in here will stay in here, I got it.” Morgana muttered, a little less than threatened.

“ _*sigh*....._ I’m ringing up Taba.”

“WHAT!? Why?”

“You’re not staying here for the night, so I’m having Futaba look after you.”

“Y-You’re joking!….Right?” 

“Nope.”

“But why?!”

“You’re untrustable. So much so, in a sense, that I feel that this is a completely necessary precaution I need to take. You don’t need to know what happens here tonight, and you never will.” Akira insisted, as he started dialling Futaba’s number. “You’re staying with Futaba and that’s final.”

“Hello, Futaba?”

 _“Yo, what’s up? Let me guess, your girlfriend is coming over for the night and you want Mona to stay over with me? No worries, I gotcha.”_ Futaba replied, a little too on the nose. 

“How did....what? But-”

_“I wiretapped you, genius, did you forget already? Mwehehe this could be perfect blackmail material…...But since I too mutually benefit from this exchange, you’ll be safe. For now.”_

Akira breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you Taba. We’ll talk more tomorrow, I’ve got a date coming later. I’ll see you tomorrow alright?”

 _“Right! Time to make like a tree!-”_ As he heard the line cut off. 

“I’d- like to file a complaint- This is animal abuse!” Morgana squealed in a last ditch attempt at staying at Leblanc. “You can’t do this!”

“And yet you’re the one who keeps saying you’re not a cat. How the very tables have turned, old friend.” Akira confidently countered. “As I keep saying, you will **not** be staying here tonight.”

“Damn, Akira. You’re good. Fine, you win. I’ll leave you two alone later.”

“Good. Glad to see you’re so quick to understand.” Akira smirked in victory as he went to relax on his bed, hoping to get some shut eye for the time he spent on the early morning train.

_Take Your Time_

Akira awoke with a start, to find that it was now night, and the cafe seemed dark, except for a tiny light downstairs, shining dimly in the shadows. As he walked down, he noticed that the cafe was deserted, lacking Sojiro and the usual elderly customers, all but for a boy who seemed to be about his own age sitting in a booth with his back turned towards him, who seemed to be writing something. Akira approached him slowly, with his arm out, to try and ask this person what in the world was going on. Right before he reached him however, the boy suddenly stopped what he was doing, and spoke.

“Hello, Joker. It’s been a while hasn’t it?”

“Crow? Is that…..you?”

“Don’t be daft. Of course it’s me. Oh, but we needn’t use our codenames in the real world, isn’t that right, Akira?”

“But how are you alive? Didn’t you…..disappear after we took down Maruki?”

“Maruki seemed to have brought me back to life in his reality, because it was _your_ wish, correct? What if I told you that you used to have an object that managed to replicate exactly what Maruki did?”

“An object?” Akira pressed, further intrigued by the conversation. “I don’t remember any objec-”

“Already forgotten? For my ‘rival’, I am just a tad disappointed in you, Akira.” As Akechi started to get up and walk towards the door. “I’m sure you’ll understand soon enough.”

As Akechi exited the cafe, Akira was left speechless and stumped. _“An object which grants wishes… It’s no use thinking about it now,”_ as he headed over to the booth where Akechi was sitting and found a crossword puzzle. None of the puzzles were filled in, except for a few small words below the crossword title.

“Proof of Justice?”

_Take Your Time_

Akira woke yet again with a start, only to find out it was still light out, as he breathed a sigh of relief, as Morgana seemed to stir in his sleep on the sofa. He quietly slipped past Morgana and walked down the stairs to find Sojiro still washing dishes behind the counter.

“Hey Boss, what time is it? How long was I out for?”

“It’s about 5:30 in the evening, I probably should be getting ready to close up shop for you two love-birds later. I’ve also brought that twin sized futon that you wanted, it’s over by that booth over there. Just don’t get any ideas, alright?” 

“Who? Me? I would never!” Akira mocked, faking offence. “Anyways, thanks for bringing over that futon, oh and tell Futaba I said thanks for helping look after Morgana later.”

Sojiro simply shrugged. “It was no trouble at all, although you were the same as me when I was young, let me tell you, hoo boy…..”

“RIGHT, Right Boss, I don’t need to hear your youth stories, I’ve got plenty of my own.” Akira shouted while covering his ears in hopes that he would stop Sojiro before he got too far into it. “Also, one more thing, Boss……”

“What is it?”

“Do you ever remember finding a crossword puzzle in that booth?” To which Akira simply made a motion towards the middle booth. “It might have been from a long while ago, but I simply wanted to know.”

“Oh yeah, I do recall finding something like that once, although when I asked my regulars about it no one seemed to claim it as theirs.” Sojiro replied, deep in thought, as he pulled it out from behind the counter. “Here it is, don’t know whose it was, nor was it filled in at all, but here you go.”

“Thanks Boss.” He opened the crossword booklet and saw yet again the same words at the top of the first page.

“Proof of Justice….” Akira muttered, “What could this mean?”

“Hm? What is it?” Sojiro asked, not paying attention. “

“Never mind, it’s nothing important.”

_*PI* *PI* *PI*_

_*PI* *PI* *PI*_

“Hello? Sumire?” 

_“Hello senpai! I’ll be coming over in a little bit, you’re staying at Leblanc for now right?_

“Yeah, just drop by any time, I’ll be waiting for you.”

_“I wouldn’t miss this for the world. I’ll see you later!”_

“Goodbye.” He replied as the call cut off, and moved to drag the futon up the stairs into the attic. As he brought the futon up a few minutes later however, he noticed that Morgana was now stirring and had woken up.

“* _Yawn*_ How long was I asleep for?” Morgana yawned, “Is Sumire coming soon?”

“She should be here soon, and you were out for a few hours at least.” Akira answered, as he started setting up the twin futon on the floor as the bells on the door downstairs chimed to announce the entrance of the last customer of the day. “We really needed that sleep though, we did wake up pretty early this morning, and I don’t think either of us managed to sleep on the train.”

“Yeah, I didn’t really sleep well though. I still can’t seem to stop dreaming about Maruki’s palace. It still bugs me that we didn’t even think twice about how odd everything seemed, and kinda just went along with it. I know you don’t like accepting apologies, but I keep feeling like I have to thank you for it.”

Akira let off a quiet yet serious laugh, as he too often had dreams about Maruki’s palace himself. “I’m sure not all of us are quite ready to move past that reality yet, that place still haunts me to this day. Don’t worry about it Morgana. I’ll always be here for you.”

“Thanks Akira. It’s nice to have a place to belong. I should probably get going though, I’ll be a gentleman and see myself out.”

“Thank you Morgana. You’re a good friend. I could never imagine a life where we never met.” Akira spoke, quietly.

“Alright alright, let’s stop the tears, you’ve got a date coming! The least you could do is look like you’re not about to cry.” Morgana teased, as he heard a lone sniffle come from the staircase. The two of them immediately saw a large ribbon poking above the railing.

“Sumire, you can come out now…. I’m sorry that you had to see that.” Akira beckoned as Sumire froze, realising she had been busted, and climbed up the last few steps.

She wiped her tears away, and shook her head. “I’m sorry senpai, I didn’t mean to intrude so suddenly, but I didn’t want to disturb the moment, so I just watched from afar.” 

“It’s alright, I think we all need a hug right now,” Akira replied with a small sniffle of his own, as he got up and walked over to where she was standing, with both arms extended. She walked up to him and readily embraced his hug, occasionally shedding a tear as it dissipates into Akira’s shirt. “It’s alright, I’m here. We’ll discuss this later, so how about I treat you to some curry and coffee?”

“I would love some, thanks Akira-senpai.” Sumire sniffled as she followed him downstairs. “Where did Morgana-senpai go off to though?”

“He’s staying with Futaba tonight, so it’s just us alone tonight.”

“O-Oh, r-really? Well that’s considerate of him.” Sumire stuttered, “So it’s just the two of us, alone, together?”

“Just the two of us, alone, together.” Akira reaffirmed gently, as she took a seat in one of the booths. 

Akira went behind the counter and started to prepare a batch of curry and coffee, but the cafe was quiet. Neither of them wanted to start a conversation, so Akira continued his preparation in silence.

….

….

….

“So, how’s your Dad?”

“Sorry, what was that?” Sumire asked as she snapped out of thought, “I wasn’t focusing, sorry….”

“No it’s alright, I just wanted to ease the tension.” Akira spoke slowly, So how’s your Dad? Did he receive the good news well?”

“Yeah he did! He was really proud of me for winning all by myself! Of course it wasn’t just me, I had Coach Hiraguchi, you and Morgana-senpai cheering for me but he seemed really happy that I’ve finally accomplished my goal! Of course, aiming for the top is always the best but-”

“Calm down princess, we’re not going anywhere. Let’s take this slow, and steady.” Akira spoke tenderly, as she blushed and hastily apologised. “No need for apologies. Just take it slow. So your Dad’s doing well, that’s good to hear. Now here’s our dinner, let’s dig in before it gets cold. I have some more in the back if you want seconds.”

Sumire sighed and took a deep breath, attempting to calm her mind. “......Thanks senpai. You’re really good at keeping calm, despite the situation. How’d you learn to do that?”

Akira smiled as he gave as honest a reply as possible. “I…...don’t really know actually. I guess it just came from the people I hung out with. Most of my old friends used to be the exact opposite of me, they were quite the hot headed group. Rushing into things without thinking and the like. I just sort of seemed to keep my head cool so I could stop them from doing stuff they’d probably regret later.”

“Ah, I see. That does make a lot of sense, after all that’s the reason you’re our leader isn’t it?” Sumire agreed, as she took a sip of her coffee. “The Phantom Thieves probably wouldn’t have gotten this far if you weren’t as calm as you are.”

Akira shook his head in disagreement. “Each of us had a role to play, and it just so happened that the leader role at the time fell to me. I refuse to take full credit for our successes, every one of us contributed something. Even Akechi.”

“Akechi-san…..” Sumire murmured as she continued to eat. “Do you miss him, senpai?”

Akira looked down at his food, a single tear forming as he continued eating spoonfuls of curry and rice. Sumire immediately retracted her previous question.

“Oh, I’m sorry senpai! I didn’t mean to ask about something that makes you uncomfortable…..” Sumire apologised, hastily, as she watched Akira shake his head once again. 

“We did all we could for Akechi. I do miss him, but I believe that we all were fighting for the same goal, even if he wasn’t there to witness our success.” Akira answered quietly, as he quickly shook his head and attempted to change the topic. “Do you want seconds? I made us a little extra curry if you want some.”

“No, I’m alright senpai. If I’m being honest, all these emotions kinda screwed with my appetite, but don’t get me wrong, the curry was delicious!” Sumire reassured as she finished her meal. “I love you senpai. I’m just concerned about you.”

Akira shed a tear in appreciation, as he used his sleeve to wipe it off. “Thank you. I love you too, Sumire.” He stood up and took both of their plates to the back, and started to clean up. 

“Um, Akira-senpai? Would you mind if I washed up first?”

“No, it’s fine, go ahead. Bathroom door is right before the stairs.”

“Thanks.”

_Take Your Time_

As Akira was finishing up with the dishes, he saw Sumire step out of the bathroom in her pajamas. He set the dishes to dry before taking in the sight of his girlfriend, with her hair down, glasses on, wearing Neo Featherman pajamas. Akira couldn’t help but start a conversation about it.

“Neo Featherman? I never would have thought my girlfriend watched Neo Featherman too. You never told me….” Akira teased, in a hurt tone. 

“Well….., my boyfriend never bothered to ask either!” Sumire shot back, playfully, twirling around to give her boyfriend a full view of the pajamas. “You like them?”

“Anything with Featherman, I adore.” Akira chuckled. “I really wish we had found this out earlier, we could’ve totally binged these together.”

“We could always start now…” Sumire giggled as she struck the pose of Feather Green, to which Akira laughed as he himself struck the pose of Feather Red.

“I’ll get changed and we’ll watch the latest episode upstairs. Deal?”

“Deal!”

_Take Your Time_

_“Phoenix Featherman Ranger Season 3 Finale. Tune in to see the Rangers final battle against Feather Cyan! Airing April 20th.”_

“The season finale is one month from now!? I don’t think I can wait that long!” Sumire gushed as the end of episode credits rolled. “This episode was a really good build up though! It really leaves you hanging after Feather Cyan was revealed to be a double agent!”

“How could anyone come up with such an amazing overarching plotline? I can’t wait to see the fight between Feather Cyan and Feather Turquoise, considering how close they were for the whole season.” Akira smirked, as he lay down next to Sumire on the futon. “I’m glad we can enjoy this together, although we should probably get some sleep for tomorrow.”

“Yeah, we should. I’m a little tired myself.” Sumire yawned as she got into the futon next to Akira. “Goodnight senpai.”

“Good night Sumire.”


	4. The Reunion of the Phantom Thieves

Akira woke up early the next morning, only to find out that he couldn’t feel his right hand. As he looked over to where his right hand was supposed to be, he found Sumire asleep, with her arms wrapped tightly around it, as if it were a hugging pillow that she used to sleep. He couldn’t help but smile, as he gently tugged with what strength he had left in his arm. 

When Sumire started to stir, Akira spoke up, gently. “Morning, sweetheart.” Akira tugged a little harder, trying not to wake her too suddenly. “I’m gonna need my arm back, would you mind?”

“Mmmmph…..Not now Dad…….five more minutes…….” Sumire mumbled in her sleep, as she dragged his arm towards her side of the bed.

“I never took her for such a heavy sleeper.” Akira chuckled as he tugged on his arm just a little bit harder. “Hey, sweetheart, My arm is really losing its feeling, could I have it back?”

Sumire slowly opened her eyes, as she saw Akira in her field of view, pointing at his right arm with his other hand. She realised that she had been using his arm as her pillow for the night and immediately flushed a dark shade of red.

“I’m sorry senpai! I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s alright, don’t worry about it.” Akira waved off as she let go of his arm. He gave it a few shakes and soon the blood was pumping through it once again. “Although, has anyone ever mentioned you’re really cute when you’re sleeping?”

“Wha-? I, uh, um…...” Sumire stuttered as she blushed even harder than before, her face nearly the same color as her hair. “....Thank you senpai. We should do this again sometime. I really enjoyed the company last night.”

“As did I, Sumire.” Akira agreed as he went downstairs to prepare some coffee, but right before he disappeared downstairs, he saw Sumire stretching as she got out of the futon. The sight was one to behold as she innocently did her morning stretches, completely oblivious to the peeping Joker that was there. Akira couldn’t help but feel more refreshed than before. He went to the bean shelf and grabbed some Cuban Crystal Mountain as he set his sights on brewing the best cup of morning coffee he could ever make. 

As Akira set his sights on brewing the perfect cup of coffee, Sumire was doing her morning routines. She stretched out her muscles, as she always did after an important meet, and then decided she would explore Akira’s room. Much to her dismay, it was pretty empty except for a poster of a popular idol on the wall next to a withering plant.

As Sumire drifted further and further into thought, she was brought back a few minutes later by the smell of a delicious cup of coffee coming from downstairs. Eager to find out what her boyfriend had started brewing, she followed suit and went downstairs into the empty store of Leblanc, where she found her boyfriend pouring his heart and soul into the blend of coffee.

“Morning senpai! That coffee smells delicious!” Sumire greeted as she came down the stairs and sat at the counter, observing her boyfriend as he continued to focus on preparing their coffee. “I can’t believe it’s already been a year since I last was here with you….”

“It has been a while since that Valentines date. I’m glad I got to spend it with you.” Akira replied cheerfully as he set down a cup of coffee in front of her. “Here’s your cup. I hope it came out well. The first cup of coffee in the morning always seems to taste the best.”

“Thank you senpai! And…...I’m glad I spent Valentines with you too. I wish we could have done it this year too, but we were both busy….”

“There’s always next year,” Akira shrugged as he took a sip of his own coffee. “Anyways how’s the coffee? I didn’t go too harsh on the roast did I? I am pretty rusty….”

Sumire quickly shook her head. “Not at all senpai! It tastes amazing! The first cup of coffee really is the best.”

“Glad to hear it.”

She took another sip from her own glass, as she gazed at the grandfather clock and the ‘Sayuri’ in the room, each reflecting their own unique aesthetic, helping bring the small cafe of Leblanc to life. “What time is everyone else supposed to be here? We were supposed to be celebrating, right?”

“Oh right! I almost forgot. But that also reminds me, they didn’t mention a time to meet up either…..” Akira shook his head in disappointment as he pulled up the group chat again, and started scrolling through the logs. He gave a slight smirk as he put his phone down for another sip of coffee. “As I expected, they function, but not fully without their leader. You might want to text them about it. If we start preparing right now, we should be able to finish by lunch time.”

“On it!” 

_The Phantom Thieves Group Chat_

_Sumire: What time are we meeting up for the celebration guys?_

_Ryuji: Oh right! We completely forgot about the time!_

_Yusuke: It pains me to say that as much as we planned yesterday, we didn’t seem to coordinate a time when we could all meet up. Perhaps we were all caught up with wanting Akira to be here with us…_

_Makoto: Right. We forgot to specify a time. Are we all free for lunch? Perhaps we could head over and celebrate over some food?_

_Haru: That’s a wonderful idea Mako-chan!_

_Futaba: Lunch sounds fine to me. I’ll get Sojiro to start preparing some food._

_Ann: So 1 oclock at Leblanc for lunch? Is that enough time for Boss to prepare enough for all of us?_

_Futaba: Eh, I’m sure Sojiro’ll be fine! Besides, he’s handled a bigger crowd before!_

_Ryuji: Alright then! 1 oclock it is! Don’t be late!_

_Take Your Time_

“I am quite surprised we all managed to board the same train here though,” expressed Yusuke, deep in thought, as the gang walked towards Leblanc from the station. “This is quite the coincidence…”

“Yeah man! I wasn’t expectin’ it and all but man it was fun catching up with you guys again!” agreed Ryuji. “I really enjoyed talkin’ like we did a year ago. We should meet up more often, just like the old days!”

“Mhm, mhm! It really felt like we were gathering for another meeting with our leader!” Ann nodded, her pigtails following her movements. 

“I totally agree! It has been quite a while since we frequented Leblanc ourselves, hasn’t it Mako-chan?” recalled Haru, as she looked towards Makoto for an answer, 

“It has. I don’t think we’ve all been together like this since the day Akira went back home.” Makoto confirmed, as she looked towards the Thieves as they reached the front door of the cafe. “We should send him a video call, I’m sure he’d be very grateful to see all of us together again.”

They stood in front of Cafe Leblanc. Makoto opened the door as they all took a step inside the cafe, noticing 3 familiar faces and a boy who seemed to have his back turned towards them in the very last booth.

“Welcome to our humble abode, the hideout of the Phantom Thieves, or just a simple cafe!” Futaba greeted as the five of them piled through the front door. 

“Hello everyone! It’s nice to see you all again!” Sumire stood up from her seat at the counter and gave a light wave. “I didn’t expect everyone to show up at once though!”

“Yeah we were just speakin’ about it actually. We totally didn’t expect everyone to be on the same train. I guess we all sorta got lucky huh?” came Ryuji’s voice from the front of the group. “By the way though, who’s he? Is he with us?” as he pointed towards the lone boy sitting by himself.

Everyone’s attention was now focused on the boy in the booth, as he stood up, with his back still turned towards them, as he raised his hand and gave a slight wave. “Have you guys already forgotten about me, or has it already been that long?” Akira smirked as he turned around, clutching Morgana tightly at his chest. “Surprise!”

 _“Akira?!”_ The group of five shouted in unison, as they rushed over for a big group hug. Sumire and Futaba soon joined in as they hugged Akira and Morgana to their heart's content. The group hug was soon disbanded as Akira expressed his concerns about needing oxygen, and everyone gave a hearty laugh, including Sojiro. The Phantom Thieves were truly all back together. 

“You guys knew but didn’t tell us? I’m so jealous!” pouted Ann as she took a seat at the counter. “We were really sad you couldn’t join us too! We were even gonna video call you later!”

Akira simply smiled and shook his head. “But would you all even be here without my planning? I asked Boss to ask you guys to gather here today.”

“Wait, that was **_you_ **?!” Ryuji shouted in surprise as everyone else agreed with him. “We thought we were comin’ here to celebrate of our own accord and it turns out you were behind everything huh?”

“I honestly didn’t know the kid was coming back until he phoned me about a week ago and told me he would be coming back to Tokyo.” Sojiro admitted, as he looked towards the group from behind the counter. “All he told me was to make sure everyone gathered here today, so I asked Futaba to tell you guys without telling her it was from Akira.”

“Well……., I may have taken a look at your phone while you were in the shower Sojiro, so I knew immediately that he was coming back. But considering he told Sojiro and not us, I figured he’d want to keep it secret to surprise us. You can’t hide things from the original MedJed!”

“You did what?!” Sojiro exclaimed in surprise as Futaba pulled off her signature laugh, causing everyone in the room to laugh along with her.

“I am quite surprised that Futaba didn’t immediately splurge that information out onto us, as per usual with our Phantom Thieves meeting.” Yusuke expressed thoughtfully with a dead-serious expression on his face.

“Shut it Inari!” yelled Futaba as she grabbed two pieces of sushi from the counter and started to dig in. “We’ve spent the last three hours setting this surprise up, so get to it!”

“I agree. We should be celebrating, not arguing,” Makoto affirmed as she went to the counter and grabbed a piece of sushi herself. “Let’s have a toast for Yoshizawa-san! Everyone get a glass!”

As the Thieves all scrambled to get a glass from Sojiro, Akira let a soft smile creep onto his face, which was only noticed by Morgana, as he too let a small smile settle, which was quickly gone as everyone got a glass.

Akira soon took the spotlight in the middle of the group as he hoisted his glass. “In honor of Sumire winning the gymnastics meet, and in honor of my return, let the celebration commence! It’s showtime!”

 **“Yeah!** ” shouted everyone in unison as the party kicked off. Soon all the Thieves were digging into curry, sushi, and the hotpot, chatting with each other, and reminiscing about the times of old, when they used to meet here as Phantom Thieves.

_Take Your Time_

“I’m sorry, it’s a revolution!” 

“A revolution?! You could’ve warned me that was coming…..” yelped Futaba as she scanned her hand for her remaining options, while Yusuke too quietly scanned his cards to see what he could play to win.

The Thieves soon found themselves in a Tycoon tournament between themselves after the food, and soon they managed to seperate the best players from the average ones, Sumire, Futaba, Yusuke, and Akira had become the Tycoon the most, so they were having the final showdown. Sumire had just used her only Joker to play a revolution, in hopes that it would turn the tables and lead to her victory over the current Tycoon. Unfortunately, Akira had other plans.

“I don’t think so! Counter Revolution!” He triumphantly set down his four of a kind as the way of play went back to normal, as Sumire looked in shock at the situation. “Sorry, but I’m not letting you beat me that easy!”

“What a fine showing. I must thank you for your assistance, Akira,” Yusuke smiled as he followed up the next card with a 7, as Futaba played a 9.

“I’ll push my boundaries a little,” Sumire mused as she threw down a Queen. She had only 3 cards left, and if she played it right, she could still come up as the Tycoon, ultimately throwing Akira into bankruptcy, winning her the game.

“I’m going in strong!” Akira smirked as he threw down an Ace, trying to read the faces of the others as much as possible, and gaining what little information he had. 

“I shall pass.”

“Lame…., pass.”

“Pass.”

“Have a pair,” Akira threw down a pair of 5’s, hoping to be able to catch Sumire off her game.

“I shall play this,” Yusuke placed a pair of 10’s down on the table. The look he showed was one of confidence, as if he was ready to unearth his masterful plan.

“Pass…”

“Let’s get serious,” Sumire maintained her confident composure, as she was down to her final card. She placed down a pair of Aces. Judging from the looks of Futaba and Yusuke, they didn’t have anything as strong, so now it was up to Akira. The suspense grew, as everyone watched over this game with a heavy atmosphere.

Akira took a deep breath in. It was the moment of truth, the win or lose moment of the match. 

………..

………..

………..

“Pass.”

“I’ve got no choice but to pass.”

“That’s wayyy too high for me. Pass.”

“I’m the Tycoon!” Sumire beamed with joy as Akira was now bankrupt, shutting him out of the round as Futaba and Yusuke finished the cards they had.

“Well done Sumire. I’m impressed.” Akira smiled as he watched his girlfriend jump up and down out of happiness. “My record’s been getting a little out of hand. I’m proud that you of all people managed to contain my ego.”

“Oh! That’s right! Akira hasn’t lost a game of Tycoon in forever!” Haru exclaimed as she turned to Sojiro. “Although that reminds me Boss, you’re pretty good for a first timer! You haven’t by chance played before have you?”

Sojiro shook his head. “I’ve never played the game myself, although I like the concept. It seems quite fun once you get into it.” He started walking towards the empty pot of curry and brought it towards the sink. “You kids can continue doing whatever, I’m gonna start cleaning up. It was fun playing Tycoon with you.”

“Same here Chief!” Agreed Morgana, as he looked towards Sojiro with a big smile on his face. Sojiro just shook his head.

“I assume he said, ‘Same here Chief!’, right? I know you well by now Morgana, but I am surprised that you can play Tycoon as well as the others. It’s fascinating to think about it.”

“Yeah, yeah, Boss, no need to soften up the cat.” Ryuji scoffed as he grabbed himself another soda and opened it. “He needs to learn some humility anyways.”

“You’re one to talk Ryuji! And besides, I am **_NOT_ ** a cat!” Morgana screeched, trying to make himself heard. 

“Alright alright, calm down you two. Sheesh it’s only your first day reunited and you’re already squabbling,” sighed Ann as she sat down at a booth, and took a glance at the grandfather clock. “Wow, I can’t believe it’s already evening! We sure’ve been here a while.”

“I agree, time flies by really quickly when you’re having fun with friends,” Makoto admitted as she took another sip of coffee. “This has been rather fun. I enjoyed this celebration.”

“I must agree. We should reunite like this more often,” Yusuke declared, as he turned to Akira. “Although it would be to our disappointment if our leader couldn’t be here with us.”

“About that……” Akira trailed off as he planned to reveal the biggest surprise of the day. “I’m actually moving back to Tokyo to start college!”

The entire group went silent with looks of shock on their face except for Morgana and Sojiro, as they processed the information. It was as if fate had reunited the Phantom Thieves once again.

 **_“What?!”_ ** came seven unique voices as they stared at Akira in awe, wondering how he and Sojiro managed to keep that a secret for this long.

“Yeah Akira always talked to me about moving back after his third year in school and I suggested that he could stay here with me again when he starts college.” Sojiro recalled as he laughed at their shocked expressions. “Shouldn’t you guys be happy? You’re all together again, and no one’s gonna leave anytime soon right? How about another toast?”

“No more toasts, Boss. But, surprise!” Akira chuckled as he was quickly drowned out by cheers and shouts of excitement from his old team.

“Man that’s amazin’! We’re all back together again!” came Ryuji’s voice as everyone settled down. “Does that mean it’ll be the same as last time? Like when we come over to Leblanc to see ya?”

“Sure does! I’m sure the group chat is gonna be alive more than ever too! We’ll finally be able to see this as our grand reunion!” Akira announced as everyone nodded in excitement, eager to catch up on other news with their leader.

“Speaking of the group chat,” started Futaba, with a glint in her eye. “Wouldn’t it be fun if we were to make our own nicknames that we use instead of our normal names?”

“I agree with Futaba-chan!” voiced out Haru as she stepped forward. “This is like having codenames in the Metaverse! It wouldn’t be fun to use our own names, now would it?”

“That would be a breath of fresh air. Let’s try it out!” Makoto said as she took out her phone and entered the Phantom Thieves Group Chat. “How about we all set it to something we think represents us in some way, and we can explain it later?”

“Sounds as good a plan as any Makoto.” Akira readily agreed and accepted his task of thinking of a good nickname for himself.

As each of the Thieves sat in silence, thinking of a good nickname to use in the group chat, Sojiro turned to Morgana and whispered a few words. “Everyone’s got a phone nowadays. I kinda feel left out, don’t you?” To which Morgana replied enthusiastically with two nods and some meows. “Glad to see I’m not the only one.”

_Phantom Thieves Group Chat_

_Akira has changed his nickname to: BeneathTheMask_

_Ryuji has changed his nickname to: Runnin’FromCops_

_Ann has changed her nickname to: BurnMyBread_

_Yusuke has changed his nickname to: StarvingForArt_

_Makoto has changed her nickname to: FistOfThePhantomStar_

_Futaba has changed her nickname to: FeatherCyanIsInnocent_

_Haru has changed her name to: RollOfFloof_

_Sumire has changed her nickname to: SumiEvergarden_

“So, I guess I’m up first?” as Akira spoke from his place at the counter. “Nothing much to say really, I just always felt like I was someone different with you guys around, never having to hide who I really was. Also I love the song.”

“Yours was inspired by a song too?” Ann gushed as she gave him a hug. “I love the song Burn My Dread, and I thought I’d put a little spin on it, since I love my pastries.”

“I guess I shall go next. Obviously I chose the thing that best described me, and my dream. To strive for art,” Yusuke posed as if with a paintbrush and canvas in front of him, showing his passion immensely. Everyone stayed quiet, not knowing how to break it to the artist, until Ryuji spoke up.

“Uhh, dude? You do know that you put ‘ _StarvingForArt_ ’ as your nickname right?” he confirmed with Yusuke as he looked down to check for himself.

“Ah, autocorrect has struck again it seems. I should really turn that off.”

Everyone in the room chuckled as Akira voiced out. “You should keep it Yusuke, I’m sure everyone would agree that it fits, unironically.” Yusuke agreed, much to everyone’s surprise as he laughed it off.

“Oooh me, me! I’ll go next!” came an enthusiastic voice from Akira’s right as everyone turned to face Futaba. “I just watched Neo Feathemen last night, and Feather Cyan was revealed to be a double agent! But I support him all the way!”

“You were watching Neo Feathermen last night Futaba-senpai? What a coincidence!” Sumire gasped as she looked towards Futaba with sparkles in her eyes. “We totally need to watch together sometime!”

“Count me in too.” Akira swiftly entered the conversation, only to have puzzling looks be exchanged from the Thieves with the exception of Sumire and Futaba. “What? Neo Feathermen has an amazing interconnected storyline! I was hooked!”

“I’m not even going to question that.” Makoto resumed as she brought up her phone. “I guess my nickname was heavily inspired by the name Ryuji called me back when we used to be Phantom Thieves. I may not have admitted it then, but I did take a liking to that name.”

“I guess I’m next huh?” Ryuji started as he looked at everyone with a serious expression, which soon broke into a smile. “I’m pretty used to bein’ called a delinquent, and on my first day with Akira, we practically ran when those two cops tried to question us. I guess that day we met has stuck with me for pretty long.”

Haru soon raised her hand. “I’ll go next, if that’s alright, Yoshizawa-san.”

Sumire shook her head. “It’s fine Haru-senpai! Go ahead, and also you guys can drop the formalities, I’m no longer trying to impersonate my sister, and am living as myself, for now, and forever.”

“That’s good to hear, Sumire-chan! Anyways my nickname wasn’t too hard to come up with, I just thought about what most people notice about me first! From what I’ve been told, it’s usually my hair, and people love to call it a floof of hair, so that’s what I went with!

“I guess I’m last?” Sumire said as she became the sole focus of attention in the room. “I recently watched a really good anime called Violet Evergarden, about a girl struggling to find the meaning of the phrase ‘I love you’. It just stuck with me for the longest time, and my codename is Violet, so I thought it was perfect.”

“You all came up with some really good nicknames,” commented Morgana as he jumped up onto the table. “Almost as good as our past codenames, just with a little more humor and spice.”

“I agree. I love our new nicknames.” Akira confirmed as he stood up and held his drink high. “To the reunion of the Phantom Thieves!”

“H-Hey! You can’t propose a toast when you declined mine just now!” Sojiro stuttered as he looked at Akira with a sour look on his face.

“Yeah!” came everyone’s voice from around the cafe as everyone took a gulp of their drink.

“Sorry Boss, but I just did.” Akira smirked as everyone roared with laughter once again.

_Take Your Time_

“Well that was a really enjoyable celebration,” Akira sighed as he relaxed into his chair. It was now late in the evening and the party was starting to wrap up.

“Right! I really enjoyed the party. Thank you all for setting up this celebration!” Sumire bowed to everyone, trying to express her gratitude. 

“Cmon, man, there’s no need to be so formal,” Ryuji smiled as he looked towards Sumire. “We’re your friends, and we will be for a long time. It’s only natural we’d want to celebrate such an amazin’ moment!”

“That is true.” Yusuke agreed as he looked towards the Sayuri, and the grandfather clock. “Although it appears as if it’s almost time for the last train to arrive. We should share our goodbyes before we miss the last train.”

“Oh right! We can’t miss the last train!” Ann gasped as she stood up from her seat, and everyone followed suit with the exception of Futaba and Morgana. “Thanks for organising the party guys! And thanks Boss for closing the cafe today for us!”

“It was no problem at all. Feel free to drop by any time.” Sojiro waved to them as one by one they all walked out of the cafe until everyone poured out except for one person.

“Sumire? You’re not going yet?” Akira asked as he saw her hesitating in front of the door, now standing up himself. “I’m sure your dad wants to see you, so you might wanna get going.”

“Yeah, of course! There’s just one thing I forgot to do.” She ran up to Akira and stood up on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “Bye senpai! See you!”

“Wh…..Wha?” Akira stood there in shock as his girlfriend rushed out of the store with no regrets, smiling as she caught up with the others on their way to the station.

His first kiss with the girl who had stolen his heart, after missing her touch for an entire year. Futaba and Morgana snickered as Sojiro smiled and shook his head. As Akira stood there in awe with what just happened, Sojiro and Futaba said their goodnights and headed home too.

“Hey Akira! Snap out of it!” Morgana meowed into his face, snapping him out of his dazed state, as he struggled to make a coherent apology. “Don’t apologise. She was your first kiss huh? You’re a lucky man Akira.”

“I really am……., aren’t I?”


	5. Nightmares and the Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: SUPLEX. Now on with the chapter.

Akira wasn’t having a good night as he struggled in his sleep, frantically twisting and turning on his bed while Morgana watched him in concern, having been woken up after the nightmare began.

_“Don’t tell me you think that dangling my life before us is going to have any impact on our decision.”_

_“So you knew, Akechi? You knew that even though we were fighting to change Maruki’s heart would lead to you being gone again?”_

_“Well I lacked conclusive evidence….., but after I fought you all there was a gap in my memory that ended up meeting with you again. There were also the cases with Wakaba Ishiki and President Okumura being alive again. Of course I’d find that suspicious.”_

_“I see. I had a feeling that the truth of the matter wouldn’t dissuade you, Akechi-kun….” Maruki sighed in disappointment, as he looked down and took another sip of coffee. “But how about you, Akira-kun?”_

_“Wha-? Me?” Akira looked in surprise as Akechi gave him a glare, conveying his thoughts harshly as Akira’s mind started to race._

_“‘You think dangling my life before us is going to have any impact on our decision?’ is what Akechi-kun said a moment ago. If that’s how you see it at this point, I’m fine with it……”_

_Maruki consented as he looked towards Akira with a slightly bittersweet smile on his face. “But I’m still going to ask you, one last time: Will you accept the reality I create for you?”_

_Morgana looked to Akira as he appeared to be deep in thought at this complex dilemma. Akechi being alive, or dead. The reality he had worked so hard to better, or one where eternal happiness is promised._

_“Perhaps I shouldn’t ask you for an answer on the spot like that. I’ll be going now,” As Maruki stood up and got ready to leave. His hand was caught by Akechi before he headed out the door as he looked back in surprise only for Akechi to nod in Akira’s direction._

_“Doc, you forgot this.”_

_Akira simply threw the calling card across the table as Maruki caught it swiftly in his hands. As he took a brief glimpse at the calling card carefully prepared by Yusuke and written by Makoto, he nodded his head._

_“Ah, that’s right. I’ve heard your calling. About my question-let’s do this… I’ll be waiting in the palace tomorrow, just like I promised. If you still haven’t changed your mind by then, we’ll meet there. But if you don’t show, I’ll take it to mean you’ve accepted my reality.”_

_Akira and Akechi both nod as Maruki heads towards the door, and opens it to expose the cold winter air to the warm and cozy store inside as the bells charmed, one last time._

_“See you…..”_

_There was a brief and awkward silence as Akira sat in the booth, contemplating his choices. The decision was no easy feat, and as team leader it rested squarely on his shoulders. The life or death decision was in the palm of his hand as he figured out both sides of the equation. The silence was broken when Akechi spoke up, as he intended to speak with Akira alone._

_“Morgana……, I wish to speak to Akira, alone. I trust you don’t have an issue?”_

_“Akechi….., alright. I understand. I’ll leave the decision up to you Akira. Do us proud Joker!” Morgana gave him a quiet whisper of confidence as he ran up the stairs into Akira’s room._

_“I will carve my own path for myself…” Akechi stood firm on this matter, as he talked with the utmost confidence in his voice. “I will not accept a reality fabricated by someone else, stuck under their control for the rest of my days.”_

_“Are you sure? If we do this you’ll be-”_

_“Why wouldn’t I be sure? I’ve made my choice on the matter. All you have to do is stick to your guns and challenge Maruki. Or are you really so spineless that you’ll fold over some bullshit, trivial threat on my life?”_

_“It’s not some small matter Akechi! This is your life we’re talking about! You can use this chance to redeem yourself! Start over! Maybe even-”_

_“Enough! Do you think I’d be happy, being shown mercy now, of all times?” Akechi’s voice started to rasp as he looked towards Akira with a look of anger and hate. “I don’t want to be pitied-this isn’t something I’m debating with you!”_

_“Akechi….”_

_“Your indecisiveness on the matter is essentially a betrayal of my wishes….” Akechi spoke quietly as he voiced out his opinions on the issue at hand, feeling slightly hurt that Akira would even think about hesitating after the deal they had made at the beginning of January. “Let me put it like this. Would it be OK for you to sacrifice the girl you fell in love with just to save_ **_my_ ** _life?”_

_Akira froze, as Akechi’s words hit him like a truck. The words Akechi uttered now pierced the concurrent thoughts he had in his mind like a bow and arrow, a clean bullseye. The dilemma was now set in stone in front of him as he contemplated his choices once again. A decision was inevitable, but what should he choose?_

_“The girl you know as Sumire Yoshizawa will cease to exist, and will soon be replaced with her sister who was presumed dead. Would you be willing to sacrifice everything you’ve done so far just to have the world in an endless state of bliss? Or will you live up to my expectations, and challenge Maruki?”_

_“....Alright. Tomorrow we challenge Takuto Maruki on our last mission as the Phantom Thieves.” Akira stood up with confidence and looked Akechi straight in the eye as Akechi caught a slight glint coming from Akira, indicating that his conviction was set, and there was no going back._

_“Good. I’m glad to hear it…..”_

Akira woke from his dream in a cold sweat with his heart beating fast, as he scanned his surroundings, frantically trying to make sense of what had just happened. Akechi wasn’t here, and neither was Morgana, as he realised it was still insanely early in the morning. The sun wasn’t yet shining as he stretched and reached for his phone, or at least where his phone should be as he grasped for his phone. He thought it strange that it had suddenly moved from where he’d placed it the night before, when he finally found it on the floor next to his bed.

“2 missed calls, 4 texts….from Sumire? What could’ve gotten her so _*yawn*_ riled up this early in the morning?” Akira muttered to himself as he proceeded to check his missed texts from his girlfriend. To his surprise, there seemed to have been a conversation at 4 in the morning which he didn’t remember having.

_Private Message (SumiEvergarden and BeneathTheMask)_

_4:23am_

_BeneathTheMask: Please help Akira, he’s having a nightmare tonight, and it seems worse than usual._

_4:25am_

_SumiEvergarden: Morgana-senpai? Is that you?_

_4:30am_

_BeneathTheMask: Yea, it is. I hope he’ll see this later and call you when he wakes up._

_4:31am_

_SumiEvergarden: I hope so too, thank you Morgana-senpai! I owe you one!_

_SumiEvergarden has gone offline._

Akira sighed as he shook his head. Knowing that cat, he was surprised that he didn’t notify the entire group about it, yet he was thankful all the same.

“Speaking of, where is that cat? I haven’t seen him all morning. I might need a cup of coffee before calling Sumire….”

As Akira went stepped downstairs, he noticed Morgana out of the corner of his eye napping in one of the booths. He gently shook the cat awake as he looked at the bar of the Cafe, remembering what transpired here in his dream.

_“The girl you know as Sumire Yoshizawa will cease to exist, and will soon be replaced with her sister who was presumed dead. Would you be willing to sacrifice everything you’ve done so far just to have the world in an endless state of bliss? Or will you live up to my expectations, and challenge Maruki?”_

“We’ll live our lives in honor of you, Akechi…..” Akira muttered as Morgana began to stir. Morgana did a few stretches as he shook himself awake and jumped onto the bar to talk to Akira.

“Hey, Akira. How was last night? From what I saw, you didn’t seem to be having a good dream….” Morgana felt sympathetic for Akira, as the nightmares seemed to occur once every so often, although this time was particularly worse. “Was it that same one again? With…... Akechi?”

Akira could only nod his head solemnly at Morgana as he took a bag of Brazilian Bourbon off the shelf and started to prepare his coffee. “Yeah. I can’t seem to get over that confrontation we had here with Maruki. I could never tell anyone either, because they’d know that _I_ hesitated. Me, Morgana! I hesitated in making that decision!” Akira burst out, as he looked straight down at the counter, beginning to choke on his words. 

“Sumire….would’ve been gone...at my hands!” Akira cried out in pain, while Morgana tried to comfort him as best he could.

“Akira….. We’re proud of you for making that decision for us. Without you, we may never have been able to break out of that false reality,” Morgana comforted him as he jumped back onto the chair on the opposite side of the counter. “The only reason we’re all here today is because you managed to convince us to see the truth, and about Yoshiza- I mean Sumire, you need to stop thinking about the ‘what if’s’ and start to look ahead. She’s alive and healthy with you now isn’t she? I’m sure she’s just as worried about you as I am, you should probably give her a call.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right. Thanks Morgana, you’re a really valuable partner. I never say this enough, but I do feel like you’re always there for me when I need you.” Akira humbly thanked his feline friend, as he poured out his cup of coffee and sat at the counter. 

“I’m glad to be here with you Akira. How’s that coffee by the way?”

“This coffee is as good as ever, I’d love to make a cup for Sojiro soon.”

Akira took out his phone and opened up the dialler, and dialled a number he had since memorized by heart and held it up to his ear as Morgana eagerly listened.

 _“Hello Senpai? Are you alright? Morgana told me what happened last night and I was really worried about you! Are you feeling better?”_ He heard Sumire’s anxious voice coming from the other side, as he let a small yet gentle smile onto his face.

“Hey sweetheart, I’m okay. I’m happy to hear that you’re so concerned for me, but what about you? Did you not sleep well?” Akira responded as he took another sip of his coffee, and took a look at the outside of the Cafe, remembering the snow that fell on that very day.

“I understand that you’re worried about me, but you being awake at 4am also concerns me. What was up last night?”

_“Oh, last night….,” Sumire sounded downtrodden as her voice trailed off while she muttered something unintelligible._

"I'm sorry? I didn't catch that last part sweetheart." 

_"I was having a nightmare too, about that day…..me, you and Akechi-san first went into Dr. Maruki's palace…. I was so weak back then…. I just wanted to apologise to you Akira-senpai…."_

"There's no need for apologies, sweetheart…" Akira reassured her as he looked down at Morgana, who nodded his head eagerly to show his support. "We're all doing our best to move on. That's what Akechi and Dr. Maruki would want from us, after denying his reality."

_"I guess you're right Senpai….," Sumire sniffled as she wiped away her tears audibly, filling her voice with confidence as she spoke again. "I hope you're doing better though! I was really worried about you when Morgana-senpai texted me in the middle of the night..."_

"I'm fine now, Sumire, but thanks for worrying about me…. It's nice to know that there's someone who cares about me no matter where I am. I love you Sumire. Please never forget that."

_“I won’t Senpai….Thank you,” Sumire thanked him affectionately. “I love you too. I do need to get going though, I have training in a few hours. I’ve gotta go, see you Senpai!”_

“No problem, I’d best be going too. Sojiro’s probably gonna come and open up the cafe pretty soon. See you, sweetheart!”

_“Goodbye Senpai!”_

Akira heard the phone click as he sighed in content, looking towards Morgana who gave him a reassuring nod. The cafe went silent as Akira stared down at his half-empty cup of coffee, with only the sounds of the ticking grandfather clock at the front of the cafe, when he suddenly got a message from his phone.

_Phantom Thieves Group Chat_

_SumiEvergarden: Akira-Senpai is okay!_

_RollOfFloof: Oh thank goodness! We were really worried….._

_StarvingForArt: Well, that is a relief. I was quite worried for him…._

_SumiEvergarden: He just called me and he seems to be doing fine, although I did cry…._

_Runnin’FromCops: Man, Akira can get emotional too huh? Every time we have a talk, it’s always me that ends up bein’ emotional…._

_BurnMyBread: Ryuji! Although, if I’m honest… It’s been like that for me too…_

_FistOfThePhantomStar: I agree, Akira’s been helping us all but he’s never once talked about himself or his own issues…_

Akira smiled lightly while reading all the texts in the group chat, as he typed out a quick reply to the Thieves.

_BeneathTheMask: You guys do know that I’m in here too, right?_

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent: BUSTED!!_

_SumiEvergarden: Oh would you look at the time, I should be going now, I have practice right now! Talk to you guys later!_

_SumiEvergarden has gone offline_

_BeneathTheMask: *sigh* What did I expect….._

_StarvingForArt: Ah, it appears the culprit has gone offline, although we were worried about you Akira. Do let us know if you need our help with anything._

_Runnin’FromCops: Agreed dude, just let us know man! We’re ready to be here for you._

_RollOfFloof: I agree! We owe you a lot Akira, it would only make sense for us to be there for you when you need us too!_

_FistOfThePhantomStar: I second that._

_BurnMyBread: Me too!_

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Same!_

_BeneathTheMask: Thank you guys. It’s nice to know that there are people out there that do care about me…. Either way I should be heading off soon, I’ve gotta help Sojiro out today, and he’s gonna be here soon. Thanks again!_

_Runnin’FromCops: Yeah, no worries Akira! I’ve gotta go too, my mom needs me to help her with groceries today, so I’ll head off for now too._

_Runnin’FromCops has gone offline_

_BurnMyBread: Oh shoot! I have another modelling gig I have to get to in a few hours! Byeee!_

_BurnM_ _yBread has gone offline_

_RollOfFloof: I’d best get back to my coffee, it should be done quite soon! Goodbye everyone!_

_RollOfFloof has gone offline_

_FistOfThePhantomStar: I’ll take that as my cue to leave too. Bye guys!_

_FistOfThePhantomStar has gone offline_

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent: I prolly needa clean up my room a little, it’s pret-ty messy here. Time to make like a banana and split!_

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent has gone offline_

_StarvingForArt: Ah Akira, it seems as though we’re the only two left. I’d like to continue our topic in our private chat, would you mind?_

_BeneathTheMask: Not at all, Yusuke, I still have time before Sojiro shows up anyways…_

Akira looked puzzled as he switched over to the private chat with Yusuke, wondering what the artist wanted to talk to him about, at this time of day. The possibilities were endless with someone as…..’eccentric’ as Yusuke but Akira never judged his friend for what he did, as the work he produced out of the time Akira spent with him has brought him down a fine path.

_Private Message (StarvingForArt and BeneathTheMask)_

_BeneathTheMask: So what’s up Yusuke? What did you want to talk about?_

_StarvingForArt: Well, how do I put this…… I’ve been selected to submit a new painting for the coming art exhibit in a month, and I already have a theme in mind._

_BeneathTheMask: Wow, that’s great! But, why tell me all this? Shouldn’t you be able to paint to your heart’s content?_

_StarvingForArt: That’s exactly the issue. The theme of my painting will be about the universe. A very vast area that many people have often tried to capture in the art world. Although I do plan to focus on a small area, I still lack the money for a telescope……_

_BeneathTheMask: That’s understandable, although you should really be putting yourself before your art, Yusuke…. Do you have money for food?_

_StarvingForArt: As stark of a contradiction it is to my current nickname, I do have enough to last me a couple of months on cup noodles, although if I were to save up for a telescope…._

_BeneathTheMask: How about we head on over to Ikebukuro today? We can revisit the planetarium and you might be able to get a telescope for a little less than market price._

_StarvingForArt: That’s a wonderful idea Akira! But aren’t you busy today? I’m sure Boss would appreciate the help._

_BeneathTheMask: He’ll be fine, he’s managed this long without me. What’s one more day?_

_StarvingForArt: Alright then, as long as I’m not interfering with any plans. Shall we meet at Ikebukuro in an hour?_

_BeneathTheMask: Ikebukuro in an hour. See you later!_

_BeneathTheMask has gone offline_

_StarvingForArt has gone offline_

“Ikebukuro eh? I don’t think pets are allowed in, so I’ll be spending time with the Chief at home. You two have some catching up to do anyways,” Morgana leapt off the chair at the bar and started heading up the stairs. “Do make sure to tell the Chief that you’re going out today though!”

_Take Your Time_

“Alright Boss, I need to head out. I’m meeting with a friend in Ikebukuro, so I’ll be back later,” Akira waved goodbye to Boss, as he walked towards the door in a confident fashion.

“I assume this is with Yusuke, isn’t it? Alright then, I get it. Although you better make sure you work twice as hard during the coming days to make up for it!.” Sojiro sighed as he stood at the counter, working a good roast for a customer.

“Yeah, I’m helping him with his new art piece. He’s a little weird at times, but a good friend. See you later!”

With that, Akira stepped out of Leblanc and made his way over to the train station, eager to meet up with Yusuke at the planetarium, just like old times.

 _Take Your Time_

“Ah, there you are Akira. I’m sorry I arrived a little late, but I got off at the stop before and walked the rest of the way to save a little bit of money…” Yusuke explained apologetically, while Akira shook his head, cringing slightly at the idea of walking several kilometres just to save a few yen. “So, Ikebukuro. It has been quite a while since I’ve been here myself, I believe the last time would have been with you.”

“Yeah, the last time I was here was with you.” Akira reminisced, the two of them walking into the planetarium. “So tell me Yusuke, what’ve you got in mind for this new art piece?”

“Ah, yes. I was thinking of painting the vast and spectacular solar system. The aesthetics of each planet have something to offer, and yet, I want to paint about the stars. The very number of them in the universe continues to astonish astronomers to this day, and I’d be delighted to capture the both of them in my work…” Yusuke began walking with Akira further into the planetarium, until he stopped at an area depicting few of the famous stars used in history for navigation. “The North Star, ‘Polaris’? This will be a fine one to depict in my artwork….”

_“The screening in the main hall will take place shortly, please come and join us!”_

“It looks like they’re having that screening. Would you care to join me Akira? We still have much time on our hands.”

_Take Your Time_

“That was a beautiful screening. The beauty of space truly is limitless. It is where everything came to exist, yet it came from nothing at all. I truly enjoyed it, don’t you think?” 

“I agree, it truly can be inspiring sometimes. Have you found the inspiration you’re looking for?”

“I’m confident that this art piece will stun the very visitors of that art gallery. Although there is one last thing I want to do before we head back,” Yusuke looked deep in thought as his face suddenly lit up and he started walking towards the store nearby. “The telescopes here seem to be of a fitting quality for my use, but I’m afraid I can’t afford even the cheapest offered here…”

“Don’t worry about the money, Yusuke. My treat.” Akira said sympathetically, as he forked out forty thousand yen and handed it over to Yusuke. “I’d recommend spending thirty thousand on the telescope, and keep the other ten for food, you really need a good meal, buddy.”

“Akira! I am in your debt yet again. Come! Let us pick out a grand telescope!”

_Take Your Time_

Thank you for joining me today on our visit into the stars, Akira. I am in your debt.” Yusuke bowed eloquently as Akira shook his head.

“It’s fine Yusuke, and don’t worry about paying me back either. It’s only natural that as a former teammate I’d want to support what you do.” Akira shook off his words as they both headed towards the station. “We should probably go our separate ways, but are you sure you don’t need help carrying that telescope back to your dorms?”

“I think my own strength is sufficient, although I do appreciate the gesture. Although if you don’t mind I’d like to borrow some of your time again once my painting is complete, would you care to join me?” Yusuke questioned as he made his way towards his train.

“I’d be happy to, Yusuke. Just let me know when, and I’ll be there at a moment’s notice.”

“I’m glad to hear it. I’d best be heading off now, it’s nearly dinner time and I need to start working on my new piece. This was rather fun, and yet truly inspirational.”

“I’ll be heading home too. Let’s meet again soon!” Akira waved Yusuke a goodbye before heading to his own train, before getting lost in thought. “An art piece on the solar system and the stars….”

_Take Your Time_

The bells attached to the cafe door chimed one last time as Akira walked through, setting himself on a chair at the bar, as he leaned onto the counter deep in thought.

“Ahh, you’re back…” Sojiro greeted him as he set down a cup of coffee in front of Akira.

“How was Ikebukuro? I take it you had a good time?”

“It was pretty fun, if I’m being totally honest. Watching an artist at work is pretty inspiring,” Akira answered as he took out his phone. “By the way Boss, what’s the date today?”

“Oh, it’s the 20th of March, isn’t it? Why do you ask?” Sojiro set down a cup of coffee in front of Akira, showing a look of slight interest, before sighing as he walked back to the pot of curry. “Anything special coming up?”

“I feel like there’s something I’m forgetting, but it seems to be slipping my mind right now…”

“Well, take your time kid.” Sojiro replied, turning on the sink as he started washing the dishes. “You’ve got some time to kill, why not think about it with Morgana?”

“I’ll do just that. Has he been good?”

“He’s been upstairs the whole day, I don’t know what he’s been doing, but I have a feeling he knows what’s up. Why don’t you finish your coffee and go talk to him?”

“I’ll do just that.”

Akira continued drinking his coffee in silence as Sojiro continued washing the remaining dishes, taking out his phone to check for any messages. There was one message that surprised him as he realised who the message was from, a familiar face that’s been plaguing his dreams since the Day of Fates.

_Private Message (Takuto Maruki and BeneathTheMask)_

_Takuto Maruki: Hello, Akira? I’ve heard recent news that you’ve moved back to Tokyo, and I wanted to welcome you back!_

_BeneathTheMask: Hello, Doc. Thanks for the warm welcome….._

_Takuto Maruki: I’m sorry…. Are you still having those nightmares? I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable…_

_BeneathTheMask: No, it’s fine Doc. It isn’t entirely your fault…._

_Takuto Maruki: I’ll be available to help you out in any way. I just wanted to thank you for what you’ve done, for my paper, and me._

_BeneathTheMask: It’s no problem Doc, thanks for the kind words. I’ll make sure to hit you up if I need anything._

_Takuto Maruki: It’s been fun catching up, but I have a new passenger to get to. I’ll talk to you later, Akira._

_BeneathTheMask: See ya later, Doc._

_Takuto Maruki has gone offline_

Akira was puzzled as to how Dr. Maruki knew he was back in Tokyo, and why he reached out to him in the first place. He quickly shook it off as just a friendly greeting and didn’t think much of it. Akira sighed as he finished up his coffee and took his bag upstairs where he found Morgana working on something that he quickly put away before Akira could see what it was. 

“What’cha working on Morgana? Care to share?”

“Judging from what I heard from you downstairs, you should be working on something similar to me. Although it seems you’ve forgotten, so I’ll tell you when you remember.” Morgana commented with a high and mighty attitude. “I’m sure you’ll remember soon enough.”

Akira shook his head at the cat’s reply as he set his bag down on the table, hearing the cafe bells ring, signalling that he could go downstairs and freshen up in the bathroom, getting lost in thought as he wondered what his cat was up to.

_Take Your Time_

Akira lay on his bed, with the lights turned off, and his eyes open while Morgana snuggled on his stomach, preparing to go to sleep for the night. He lay deep in thought, trying to remember what was so important that would be happening in the coming days. As the night went on, and Morgana finally fell asleep, it finally came to him.

“Oh shit! The 25th of March is Sumire’s Birthday!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: So that was a fake Author’s Note, but here’s the new chapter. Sorry for the two week wait but this chapter was a little tough to write. I’ll probably be keeping this kind of upload schedule, with either a consistent one week upload or two week upload, depending on my assignments and other things for the week. Thanks for reading!


	6. Memories of What If

_ BeneathTheMask has created a group chat _

_ BeneathTheMask has added Runnin’FromCops, BurnMyBread, FistOfThePhantomStar, StarvingForArt, FeatherCyanIsInnocent, and RollOfFloof. _

_ BeneathTheMask has named the group chat: Sumire’s Birthday _

_ 11:25pm _

_ BeneathTheMask: Guys, isn’t Sumi’s birthday on the 25th? _

_ Runnin’FromCops: RIGHT! I totally forgot! We’ve gotta do something to celebrate! _

_ FistOfThePhantomStar: I can’t believe we forgot to plan for this! _

_ BurnMyBread: OMG you’re right! I feel kinda bad now….. _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Fear not! We still have 4 days to plan! I think….. _

_ RollOfFloof: Oh no! We forgot about Sumi-chan’s birthday! _

_ StarvingForArt: I cannot believe we made such an oversight…. although we have been pretty busy since we’ve all returned to Tokyo. We should definitely plan something… _

_ BeneathTheMask: I genuinely feel bad for forgetting…. _

_ FistOfThePhantomStar: So, we should start planning something, yes? There’s no time to waste. _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: We’re not doing anything special, right? I can just ask Sojiro to close up shop after 6, so we should have that covered. Anything else we need to consider? _

_ RollOfFloof: Do we know what we’re all getting for her as presents? _

_ BurnMyBread: We totally need to get some good presents! _

_ BeneathTheMask: I honestly have no idea what to get for her…. _

_ Runnin’FromCops: I dunno dude, maybe girls stuff? What does she like? _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Oooh ooh! I call dibs on the Neo Featherman figurine! That’ll be my present! Mwehehehe! _

_ StarvingForArt: Haru, I believe that I have a good idea on what to give her, but it will require your expertise. Would you mind cooperating for a shared gift? _

_ RollOfFloof: Sure Yusuke! I was struggling on what to get for Sumi-chan myself, so if I can help with your gift, I’d be happy! _

_ FistOfThePhantomStar: So that just leaves me, Akira, Ryuji, and Ann…. Oh that reminds me, what’s Morgana giving her Akira? Did he tell you? _

_ BeneathTheMask: He just told me that he’s giving her something handmade, but he told me that he’s trying to replicate the gloves from her PT outfit. _

_ StarvingForArt: A fine choice. That would be an amazing gift….. _

_ Runnin’FromCops: I actually have no idea on what to get her. Any suggestions? _

_ BurnMyBread: From you, Ryuji? I’d get her something she can use for her training. As for me….. Something fashionable would be nice… _

_ BeneathTheMask: We also need someone to keep her out of Leblanc for the day until dinner time. Are we inviting anyone else? _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Eh, I don’t think we need to. The cafe was pretty crowded with just all of us and Sojiro anyways. We could probably add a few more people but I don’t really think anyone else would wanna join us either. _

_ StarvingForArt: Haru, I would like to start work on our gift as soon as possible. How does tomorrow at noon sound to you? _

_ RollOfFloof: That sounds great! I’ll see you guys tomorrow though! I need to get some rest. _

_ RollOfFloof has gone offline _

_ FistOfThePhantomStar: Would you guys mind if I invited my sister? She has a week off, so I thought that she might want to join in. _

_ BeneathTheMask: I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say that Sae is always welcome to party with us. I think we can call it a night though, we can always resume in the morning. _

_ Runnin’FromCops: Yeah I needa hit the hay too. Gotta go shoppin tomorrow and I’ll see what I can get her. See ya later! _

_ Runnin’FromCops has gone offline _

_ FistOfThePhantomStar: Ann, are you available tomorrow? I’d like to follow you out to see what we can get for Sumire. Would that be OK? _

_ BurnMyBread: Sure! I’d be happy to have a shopping day with someone else for a change!  _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Akira! You’re comin’ with me to Nakano tomorrow to pick out a good figurine! Sound good? _

_ BeneathTheMask: Meet up in the cafe at 11 tomorrow? _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: You got it!  _

_ StarvingForArt: We should all get adequate rest for tomorrow, as I suspect we’ll all be quite busy. I will see myself out. Goodnight. _

_ StarvingForArt has gone offline _

_ BurnMyBread: I'll head off for the night too! Bye guys! _

_ BurnMyBread has gone offline _

_ FistOfThePhantomStar: You both should get to bed too. Goodnight to you both. _

_ FistOfThePhantomStar has gone offline _

_ BeneathTheMask: I’m gonna need to get to sleep too. Morgana’s already started bugging me. Let’s both make like Autobots and roll out, alright? Night, Taba. _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: BUT WAIT, HOW?! WHAT?! _

_ BeneathTheMask has gone offline. _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Oooooh, you’d better be careful Akira! I will not have someone stealing my one liners! _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent has gone offline _

Akira chuckled as he finally set down his phone, and tried to sleep for the night, with Morgana on his stomach, as he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

_ Take Your Time _

Akira woke up the next day feeling confident, yet a little nervous as he walked downstairs to find Sojiro already preparing a batch of curry.

“Morning, Boss,” Akira waved over to Sojiro as he took a seat at the counter. “Are you busy at the moment?”

“Hah! I mean, do you see any customers?” Sojiro scoffed at Akira as he set down a cup of coffee in front of him, and went back to his curry. “What is it?”

“Well, it’s Sumire’s birthday on the 25th, so would you mind if we reserved the cafe from 6pm onwards?” 

“Sure. You guys can have a ball. Although now that I think about it, I do remember Futaba talking about going out to Nakano today, and something about a present, but…” Sojiro muttered, deep in thought, as the person in question walked through the door of the cafe.

“Morning! Namaste!” Futaba greeted loudly as she walked over to Akira and gave him a high-five turning to face Sojiro as he sighed loudly. “Ready for our expedition to Nakano? It’s still early but I wanted to make sure I wasn’t late either!”

“Jeez, you don’t have to be so loud Futaba…” Sojiro made an attempt to quiet her down, but to no avail. “So you’re both headed to Nakano today? You need any money, Futaba?”

“Pffft, from you Sojiro? You need to make sure this place can stay open so we can have more parties here. As for me, I’ve been ‘working’ for some money online, so don’t worry,” Futaba snickered, taking a seat at the booth as she took out ten thousand yen from her wallet. Sojiro could only look at her in awe as she stuck her tongue out at him. “Told ya!”

“Color me impressed, Futaba…” Sojiro had a proud look on his face, which slowly morphed into one of suspicion. “Hold on a second, this money wasn’t illegally obtained now, was it?”

“Knowing Futaba, I wouldn’t be surprised at all,” Morgana teased, coming down the stairs as Futaba turned a light shade of red, and angrily but weakly protested.

“It was all legitimate, alright?! I’ve just been designing some websites for people while they pay me! It was nothing illegal!” Futaba argued, standing her ground as Sojiro walked over to the booth Futaba was sitting at and placed a plate of curry in front of her. “Ooooh, thanks Sojiro!”

“You’re welcome, now eat up. You were talking about being there at noon, right? You probably want to get going soon then.” Sojiro advised as he started to work on another batch of curry. “Are you taking Morgana with you?”

“I’m done with my own present, so as long as you’re willing to bring me, I’m going to follow!” Morgana announced proudly as he jumped onto the table. He soon realised what a huge mistake he’d made after his cheeks started getting pulled apart by Futaba.

“Alright Mona, you’re coming along with us! We nearly have a full party now!” Futaba exclaimed with glee while Sojiro let out a long and heavy sigh.

“I won’t even try to wrap my head around all this lingo....”

_ Take Your Time _

“Oooh ooh! Look at the sleek design on this one! And the pose! There’re so many good ones!” Futaba started fangirling over the Feathermen figurines on display. “Now, which one to get….”

“You did say Feather Gold, right?” Akira asked as he checked out the display cases, showcasing all the different Neo Feathermen in team formation, and each striking their unique pose. “I was thinking more along the lines of Feather White myself….”

“Ohhhhh, I can totally see it! Yeah yeah, let’s see if they have any good Feather White figures!” Futaba went to check out the other display cases as Morgana popped out of Akira’s bag.

“Oh yeah, I’ve been meaning to ask, Akira, what are you getting for Sumire?” 

“I was thinking something along the lines of a new pair of glasses….” Akira told Morgana quietly, while watching Futaba from a distance. “And also maybe a gift that I’ll give her in private, but you don’t need to know.”

“Ooh, is Akira going to give her some of  _ that _ ?” Morgana snickered as he was promptly pushed back into his bag by Akira who gave him a smack on the head, blushing heavily.

“Do shut up, Morgana…” With a face flushed red, he attempted to cool himself down before making his way over to where Futaba was clutching a well designed Feather White figurine in its original packaging. “This is the one Akira! I’m sure Sumi would love this!”

“Go ahead then, Taba. It’s your money, after all,” Akira shrugged as he watched Futaba make her way to the counter confidently, taking out the money she saved and using it to pay for the figure.

“She really has grown, hasn’t she, kid?” He heard a gruff voice talking to him from behind. Akira turned around to find a familiar face he wasn’t expecting.

“Iwai?!” Akira exclaimed in surprise as Futaba walked back over to him with the box in hand, as she greeted them in surprise.

“Hey Iwai! Looks like we bump into each other wayyy too often here.” Waved an enthusiastic Futaba. “Whatcha doing here this time?”

“I’m looking for something I could get for Kaoru, while also dropping off some more models for the shop.” Iwai explained with a kind smile on his face. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you though, kid. How’ve you been?”

“I’ve been alright. Been missing working at Untouchables though, gotta say you were fun to be around.”

“Hah! You sure have a way with words kid, who taught you?” Iwai said with a guffaw. “It’s been fun seeing you both here but I’ve gotta go talk to the manager right now. He’s been expecting me for the past few minutes. See ya kid, and remember, you’ve always got a place at Untouchables. See you too, little lady.”

“Well, that’s our side quest completed for today! We didn’t even need a full party!” shouted a very excited Futaba. “Mission accomplished! Da-da-da-da, da-da, da-da-da!”

“The victory sound effect from Final Fantasy VII. I’m impressed, Futaba.”

“You haven’t even seen half of my video game expertise yet!-”

The two of them heard a growl coming from someone’s stomach, as Futaba flashed him the most innocent grin she could and yelled:

“Akira, I hungerrr!”

_ Take Your Time _

“This is home, Akira. You sure you don’t wanna head home for the evening?” Futaba asked him suspiciously. “D’ya got other plans? I can take Mona home for you.”

“Thanks Futaba, I might actually take you up on that offer. Help bring this lump in my bag back to Leblanc for me, would’ja?”

“No problemo! Time to make like a hedgehog and roll outta here!”

“Good luck Akira! Get a good pair for her, alright?” Morgana meowed, popping his head out from the bag to send him one final message as Futaba took off towards Leblanc.

“I’ll do the very best I can….”

_ Take Your Time _

_ “Kichijoji. This is Kichijoji. This train service will end here. If you wish to proceed further on this line, please wait for the next train. Thank you.” _

Akira sighed as the train slowed down to a complete stop on the Kichijoji station platform, going deep into thought, remembering the times he used to come here to meet up with Akechi and Sumire. He quickly made his way over to the optics shop, walking past the second hand clothes shop, and the Jazz Club where he used to sit down with Akechi.

“I really need to stop thinking about Akechi…” Akira muttered, walking into the optics shop next to the darts and billiards place, as he was politely greeted by a staff member.

“Welcome! How can I help you?” 

“Yes, I was actually looking to buy some glasses for my girlfriend, but I’m not sure about her eyesight. Do you perhaps have her prescriptions?”

“Sure! I’ll just need her name and I should be able to find it.”

“Sumire Yoshizawa.”

“Let me have a look. In the meantime, how about you pick out a frame that she might like? I’m sure this will make for a nice surprise for her.”

Akira looked around the shop, going through each pair of glasses carefully before coming to a stop at a pair with a dark blue half frame, going along the bottom of the glasses, instead of the usual half frame that goes on the top.

“I’ve got her prescriptions right here, Mr……?”

“Akira. Akira Kurusu.”

“Right. Since she actually just recently visited a few months ago, these prescriptions should be spot on.” She said as she forwarded the information to Akira. “Ah, I see you picked out those ones. They aren’t usually picked out by most people, since many people just pick out fully framed ones.” 

“I’m confident she’d love these.”

“Alright, no need to be so assertive Mr. Boyfriend, I know a confident decision when I see one…” The cheerful woman let out a laugh as she walked to the cash register with Akira behind her. “So that should take us about two days for us to receive the lenses for the glasses….and that’ll be six thousand, one hundred yen.”

Akira handed her the money and said a brief goodbye, before walking out of the shop and stopping in front of Penguin Sniper. A rush of emotions suddenly overwhelmed him as he looked towards the spot that an old friend used to occupy on his days off. He could still see a faint image of Goro Akechi standing outside Penguin Sniper, suitcase in hand, in his old detective outfit. The longer he stood there, the more memories of Akechi came back, flowing through his mind, like water through a pipe, as his mind suddenly jumped back to a day in November, the day in which Akechi and him had a duel in mementos.

_ “Do you want to keep going, Crow?” _

_ The two of them jumped back as they each prepared to summon their personas again, before Akechi put up his right hand, signalling to stop the fight.  _

_ “You put up a good fight. I’m impressed, Joker. As much as I’d like to continue, we’d both only go past the point of no return, and we can’t have that happening. Not when we still have a mission to see through. Isn’t that right?” _

_ “Right. Shall we head back to Shibuya station?” _

_ “Lead the way, Joker….” _

**Take Your Time**

**_“You have returned to the real world.”_ **

_ “In all honesty, I would have loved to see how far we can both push ourselves.” Akechi started after a brief moment of silence, turning to face Akira as he put his phone away. “Your power is truly reassuring. I’m happy to be fighting alongside you and I’d be relying on you in a pinch.” _

_ “The feeling is mutual Akechi. Although if you don’t mind my asking, was there a need for that fight? Was it simply to compare our strength?” Akira questioned as he took a step forward, looking at Akechi straight in the eye. He gave him a nod as Akira then took a step back. _

_ “It was. I was surprised to learn that your strength is far greater than mine, although considering that you can summon multiple personas, I should’ve realised that much sooner.” _

_ “Don’t put yourself down though, Akechi. You put up a good fight with Robin Hood. You nearly had me on the ropes at one point.” _

_ “Did I? Well, that’s good to hear. If we were to continue on, if we had fought to the end, would you see yourself winning?” Akechi asked with a confident look on his face, expecting a quick and honest answer.  _

_ “I definitely wouldn’t see myself losing.” Akira gave such a short and simple reply, yet it radiated with confidence.  _

_ Akechi smiled, and nodded his head. “I had a feeling you’d say that, but I’m going to be entirely honest: I hate you.” _

_ Akira could only raise his eyebrow as Akechi elaborated further on this sudden change of topic. _

_ “Your deft handling of your unfortunate circumstances, your uniqueness, your ability to surpass me without the slightest issue. All these things irritate me to no avail…” Akechi spat at Akira, a surprised look forming on his face as Akechi’s turned to one of anger. Akira could sense a deeper emotion behind it, but he chose not to press him on it. “You’re the one person I refuse to lose to Akira….” _

_ “Same here Akechi.” Akira simply replied, to which Akechi seemed shocked, but he quickly shook it off and went back to his normal, stoic expression. “Losing to you the first time made me better myself quicker, just to beat you. That’s what rivals are for, right?” _

_ “Hmph. That we can agree on.” Akechi accepted as he started fidgeting with his glove. “I’ll let you have this win today-but next time, I will be victorious. Let this be my proof.” _

_ Akira swiftly caught Akechi’s glove as he threw it at him with precision. “I look forward to it, Akechi, but what’s with the glove?” _

_ “There’s a tradition in the west, to throw one’s glove at their opponent when demanding a duel. Should the opponent accept the glove, the duel is also accepted.” _

_ “Ah. In that case, I accept your glove, Akechi. I look forward to it.” Akira smirked as Akechi put on a proud and confident smile. _

_ “Good…. But remember this: I will be the one who will defeat you….” _

Akira snapped out of his flashback when he realised that he had been standing in the same spot for about five minutes, and several people were staring at him doing so. He quickly headed up to Penguin Sniper, where he decided that he would go for a billiards game to ease his mind.

_ Take Your Time _

Akira lined his shot up with the pocket, and executed a near flawless jumpshot, knocking yet another ball into the pocket. He sighed as he easily knocked the last ball into the opposite pocket with a curve shot. The last ball sank into the pocket smoothly as he set down the pool cue and walked to the counter.

“Fourth perfect game in a row, champ,” Came an impressed voice from behind the counter. “You still gonna keep going?” 

“I’m done for today. Thanks for letting me relax here, I really needed it.”

“No problem. You can come back here any time.”

Akira headed back down the flight of stairs as he stared into that spot for the last time that evening. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out something that he vowed to carry until the owner met him again.

The glove formerly owned by one Goro Akechi.

_ “There’s a tradition in the west, to throw one’s glove at their opponent when demanding a duel. Should the opponent accept the glove, the duel is also accepted.” _

“Your glove will never leave my possession, Akechi,” Akira quietly said to himself as he put the glove back into his pocket. Reaching into his other pocket, he found that his phone had been blown up with messages from Futaba and Sojiro.

“I should probably head back….They’re probably worried sick…” Akira thought to himself as he made his way back to the Kichijoji station, head down, and deep in thought.

_ Take Your Time _

The bells to the cafe chimed as Akira walked through the front door. The cafe was deserted save for two people and a cat, who immediately turned around once they heard the front door open.

“Akira! You’re okay!” Futaba jumped up from her seat in glee as he approached her and gave her a friendly hug.

“Futaba wouldn’t stop bugging me about you not answering her calls, and I was a little worried myself, so I shot you a text but you didn’t reply. I guess you were busy?”

“I was just having a few games of billiards to calm myself down. I had some stuff happen that’s been mostly taken care of now.” Akira replied, a little dejectedly, which went unnoticed by Sojiro and Futaba. “Sorry I didn’t get to any of your texts. I was a little too focused on the games…”

“So, you’re back, Akira,” greeted Morgana as he came down the stairs. “I take it everything went well with the gift?”

“Yeah it did, surprisingly. It should be ready by the 23rd, so I’ll be there to pick it up on the 24th.” Akira responded to his feline friend with a slight tone of relief in his voice. “Thanks for waiting for me. I appreciate the thought, but I’m fine.”

“No problem kid, I’m happy to hear it,” Sojiro merely sent a reply his way before motioning to Futaba to head out. “I’m gonna bring this one home now, you’ve had a long day, so I’m gonna leave the cafe to you. Get some rest.”

“Right. Thanks Boss. I’ll do just that.”

“See you tomorrow Akira! Time to make like a tree and leaf!”

Futaba and Sojiro both walked out of the cafe and left both Morgana and Akira alone downstairs where Morgana saw a tiny glimpse of sadness on Akira’s face before it morphed into a bittersweet smile.

“Hey...Akira,” Morgana started slowly as he watched his partner in crime turn towards him with a puzzled look on his face. “Did you have another flashback? Of Akechi?”

“You know me too well, Morgana…” Akira answered quietly. “I just can’t seem to get him out of my thoughts recently. You think this means anything?”

“I have no idea…., but you’ve had a pretty long day, so we should probably head to sleep for tonight. You’ll be helping out the Chief tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah, let’s turn in for tonight. Good night Morgana.”

_ Take Your Time _

For the next two days Akira helped Sojiro in the cafe, preparing coffee and curry and serving it to customers with little to no issues at all. As he was closing up shop and Sojiro was preparing to leave, he received a call from Yusuke which he answered immediately.

“ _ Ah, Akira. I am happy that you were so quick to respond to my calling, _ ” Yusuke eagerly exclaimed over the phone. Akira let out a light chuckle as Yusuke continued talking. “ _ I wanted to get your opinions on the present that Haru and I have been working on. Would you mind coming over to my place tomorrow to have a look at it? It should be done by noon tomorrow.” _

“Sure! I’ve got nothing better to do anyways.” Akira answered truthfully, as he made a mental note to remember to pick up his own present for Sumire after the visit. “So I guess I’ll come at noon, then I can bring the both of you out for something to eat?”

“ _ That sounds like a wonderful idea, I am in your debt yet again Akira. Haru and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Good night, my friend.” _

“Good night to you too, Yusuke.”

Akira put his phone down and breathed a heavy sigh, as he attempted to get some rest for the next two days, with Morgana on his belly as he soon fell asleep. 


	7. A Faithful Birthday

_ Take Your Time _

Akira stood in front of Yusuke’s dorm, as he knocked on the front door with Morgana on his shoulder. Hearing some shuffling coming around from inside, Akira took a step back as he heard someone rush towards the door, as it swung open and a familiar face greeted him at the doorstep.

“Akira-kun! It’s nice to see you again!”

“Hello Haru! How’s everything been going? I’m curious to see what you’ve both been working on.” 

“Well come in and see for yourself! I think we did really well!”

Akira stepped into the tight dormitory as Yusuke popped his head out from what Akira assumed to be his room. “Ah Akira! Please, come this way! I have a magnificent sight for you to behold!”

“So, you’ve both been working on this gift for a few days now, right? How’s progress?”

“We’re almost finished! We’d love for you to have a look, Akira-kun!”

Akira followed Haru and Yusuke into his bedroom, gasping in shock as he saw what they had in there. Sumire’s Phantom Thief outfit stood proudly on display, from her elegant mask, to the leotard, all the way down to her tall boots. Next to it was a canvas with Sumire in her Phantom Thief outfit which Akira assumed Yusuke had painted for reference as he gaped in awe at the present the two of them had managed to create.

“You guys….actually made this?!” Akira shouted in surprise, as he looked to the both of them for confirmation. Haru and Yusuke eagerly nodded as Akira was left speechless. “I- I can’t believe….What?!”

“My memory of the outfit was crystal clear, so I managed to paint it out on a canvas. The reason I had Haru collaborate with me on this was so she could use her own expertise to aid me in the design and the creation. Any thoughts?”

“I absolutely love it, you two. Damn….. This looks so amazingly accurate!!” Akira gaped as he took another look from top to bottom. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say we were in the Metaverse right now… Believe me, this will be an amazing gift. I’m sure she’d love it to bits.”

“That’s wonderful! Thank you for the kind words, Akira-kun! We’re both delighted to hear it!” Haru had a bright smile on her face, radiating off of her as Yusuke too dawned his own artistic smile and looked at the outfit through the canvas he made with both hands. 

“I agree with Akira. This outfit will definitely compliment the gloves very well. Well done, Noir, Fox,” Morgana spoke up from his place inside Akira’s bag, as he hopped onto his shoulder. “You should both be extremely proud of this.”

“Ah, Morgana, it pleases me greatly to hear those words. This calls for a grand celebration, does it not? Let us go for some sushi, shall we?”

“Ooh sushi sounds delightful!” Haru exclaimed with a smile on her face as she reached out to pet Morgana. “I’m sure Mona-chan will be happy to have some take out later too!”

“Sushi it is. Let’s move out, team!”

_ Take Your Time _

The rest of the day proceeded smoothly as Yusuke, Haru and Akira went to the renowned sushi shop in Ginza for a quick lunch and left feeling extraordinarily satisfied and happy with the meal. Akira saw them both off before quickly heading to Kichijoji to pick up his own gift, then heading back to Leblanc for the rest of the evening.

“Well, Akira, tomorrow’s the big day. We should probably get the team on the group chat again just to have a brief rundown of the plan tomorrow.”

“I can agree with that, Morgana. But for now, let’s just have dinner.”

The bells to the cafe chimed once more for the evening as Akira stepped through the doors of Leblanc. The warm smell of curry greeted him as he took a seat at the counter in the middle of the empty cafe. Sojiro soon set down a hot plate of curry in front of Akira as he began to devour it hungrily.

“Ah, you’re back sooner than I expected. Putting the final touches on the plan?” Sojiro asked, a little amused as he watched Akira envelop the plate of curry. “The cafe will be off limits to visitors after 4 o’clock tomorrow, so that everyone can get here early to start a little decoration. Do your absolute best to keep her out of here until we’re all finished, is that clear?”

“Yeah Boss, that part’s covered,” Akira replied as he finished his plate of curry and set down his fork and spoon. “I’ll be upstairs discussing my plan with everyone else. I don’t want to bother your other ‘customers’, so I’ll see you later Boss.” 

Akira quickly ran upstairs, a slight smirk on his face as he heard Sojiro angrily starting to wash up his plate. The group had already been discussing decorations by the time he rejoined the group chat, so he decided to join in on the fun.

_ Sumire’s Birthday (Group Chat) _

_ BeneathTheMask: So. What have I missed? _

_ Runnin’FromCops: Nothin’ really. We’ve just been discussing the decoration plans and the cake tomorrow. Any ideas on what kinda cake we should get? We’ve been kinda stumped for the past half an hour... _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: I suggested an ice cream cake, but.... _

_ FistOfThePhantomStar: And we all disagreed, because it would melt too quickly. Got any suggestions, Akira? _

_ BeneathTheMask: Red velvet. She’s either a cheesecake or a red velvet lover. Don’t ask how I know. _

_ BurnMyBread: Oooh, I’d love to get a red velvet cake for her! I’m sure she’d absolutely love it! _

“If we have Lady Ann’s approval, I don’t see why anyone else would disagree...” Morgana murmured, just barely loud enough for Akira to hear him, immediately raising his eyebrow in response. Morgana quickly coughed up a reply. “I-it’s not because of that A-Akira! I just merely said that b-because Lady Ann’s desert pallet is more refined than the average person!”

“As you say Morgana....” Akira smirked as he looked back at the group chat.

_ StarvingForArt: So we’ve decided on a cake. We’ve all also gotten our presents, right? _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Yep! _

_ RollOfFloof: Yes! _

_ Runnin’FromCops: My present here’s ready and wrapped! _

_ FistOfThePhantomStar: My gift is ready for giving. _

_ BurnMyBread: Same here! _

_ BeneathTheMask: So it seems that everything is in order, and we can proceed with step two of the plan. A distraction, and the decoration. Sojiro told me we have the cafe from 4 oclock onwards. I could probably say we could spend some time together but I don’t know how long I can keep her out of the cafe. _

_ StarvingForArt: The decorations for the most part aren’t that difficult to set up. We just need time. Do you think you could keep her out of Leblanc until 6? _

_ BeneathTheMask: I could probably, yeah. _

_ FistOfThePhantomStar: Then it’s settled. We all meet up at Leblanc at 4 sharp, and start preparing for the party. Akira will be the major distraction as we set everything up for 6 o’clock. All clear? _

_ Runnin’FromCops: No issues here. _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: The plan is in motion! _

_ StarvingForArt: I can’t wait to see the look on her face... _

_ BurnMyBread: OMG I’m so excited for tomorrow! _

_ RollOfFloof: I can’t wait either! _

_ BeneathTheMask: We should probably all head off for now, we’ve got a long day tomorrow. _

_ FistOfThePhantomStar: I agree with Akira. Let’s all get some sleep. Good night everyone! _

_ FistOfThePhantomStar, RollOfFloof, BurnMyBread, Runnin’FromCops, FeatherCyanIsInnocent, StarvingForArt and BeneathTheMask have gone offline. _

As soon as everyone went offline for the day, Akira continued helping out Sojiro at the cafe until he closed up shop. Soon after Sojiro left the store to Akira, he took out his phone and entered in a number whose owner had left the biggest impact of his life to this day. He was definitely surprised by the fact that before the call had gone through after the very first ring though, as it was immediately answered by the recipient he knew and loved.

_ “Akira-senpai? Is that you? How’ve you been?” He heard an energetic Sumire call out to him over the phone. “I haven’t really heard too much from you for the past few days. I assumed you were busy helping Boss at the cafe, but have you been doing much?” _

Akira chuckled and responded with a half lie.“I’ve been doing well, Sumire, but I haven’t been doing much, really. I’ve been helping Sojiro at the cafe and just visiting Kichijoji for old times sake. How about you?”

_ “I’ve haven’t really been doing much either, Senpai... Neo Featherman can be pretty addicting to binge watch with nothing else to do at home...” Sumire said, giggling slightly. “Although if I might ask, why the sudden call?” _

“Sumi, I’m your boyfriend,” Akira talked smoothly as he built up the conversation, slowly leading to a climactic finish. “I’d sure as hell be a bad one if I forgot to wish my girlfriend a happy birthday for tomorrow!”

_ “Senpai! I’m happy that you remembered! Thank you!” Sumire exclaimed in surprise as she started flushing more than twenty different shades of crimson, unbeknownst to Akira. “Did you plan to bring me on a date, my beloved boyfriend?” _

“Naturally,” Akira smoothly replied, with a smirk on his face, giving Morgana the thumbs up. “I heard that the aquarium in Shinagawa just opened a new penguin exhibit!” He said in a singsong voice. “Care to join me, my dearest girlfriend?”

_ “Of course, Senpai! I’d love to join you!” Sumire answered excitedly, nearly jumping up and down in happiness. “Shall we meet up at Shinagawa at 3 o’clock tomorrow?” _

“3 o’clock sounds good, Sumire,” Akira reaffirmed as he mouthed to Morgana what the plan now was. Morgana gave him a reassuring nod as he spoke again. “Also, Sumi?”

_ “Yes, Senpai? What is it?” _

“Would you mind staying over at Leblanc for another night tomorrow? It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other and I miss cuddling with you…” He admitted, a little embarrassed as he blushed a light shade of red. 

_ “O-Oh, you w-want me to stay o-over at your place t-tomorrow night?” Sumire stuttered as she flushed an even deeper shade of crimson. “I-I’d love to Senpai! I’ll be sure to pack all my necessities before we meet up.” _

“Alright then, I’ll see you tomorrow. Good night Sumi. I love you.”

_ “I love you too, Senpai! Good night!” _

Akira heard the phone click soon after Sumire said goodbye, as he sat on his bed with a satisfied yet dreamy smile on his face. He soon snapped out of it however, as Morgana jumped on his lap with a smug grin on his face.

“Akira and Sumire, going on a date. K I S S I N- MEOWWWW!” Morgana teased before getting a hard pinch on the cheek from Akira. “I was only kidding!”

“And that’s why you don’t kid around with me, cat.” Akira smirked, before they both let off a chuckle and prepared for the next day.

_ Take Your Time _

Akira woke up the next day feeling refreshed, as he walked downstairs and was immediately greeted by a warm plate of curry, Sojiro, and Futaba.

“Morning!  Annyeonghaseyo!” Greeted Futaba as Akira sat down next to her at the counter. 

“Ready for your distraction date?”

Akira choked on his food as he started coughing spastically and glared at her once his coughing fit calmed down. “I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about Futaba.” 

“Hah! I’m happy for you, kid. When I was your age, Hoo boy…” Sojiro started as his smug smile turned into a face of remembrance as Futaba smacked him outta his flashback.

“No more stories Sojiro! Save them for another time!” Futaba retorted, as Sojiro sighed in dismay, having yet another story from his youth denied by his own adopted daughter no less.

“Fine, fine.” Sojiro huffed as he went back to washing the dishes. “So, where’re you taking the special one for the ‘distraction’? I assume you’ve planned something out to keep her away from the cafe while we decorate?”

“Shinagawa Aquarium. They’re apparently opening a new penguin exhibit and I’m planning to bring her to check it out.”

“Have a blast, kid. Everything’ll be done by the time you get back, so don’t worry about a thing over here. This old geezer will make sure we get everything ready in time.”

“Thanks Boss. I appreciate it.”

“I’ll be a gentleman and I’ll stay behind. It wouldn’t be nice of me to tag along on this date of yours, Akira…” Morgana sniggered as Akira could only let off a sigh.

“Can’t 3 o’clock come any faster?”

_ Take Your TIme _

_ “Shinagawa. This is Shinagawa.” _

Akira checked his phone as he walked out of the station, the time showing 14:52. He shrugged and put his phone back into his pocket, deciding to walk around a little before spotting Sumire at the entrance, wearing the blue dress that she bought with him at the Shibuya underground mall. Seeing as she hadn’t noticed him yet, he decided to sneak up on her and give her a surprise, like she did on his Hawaii trip.

“Konnichi…….WA!”

“Ah!” Sumire jumped back in surprise, frantically looking around before managing to see Akira with the biggest grin on his face. “Senpai! You scared me!” Sumire laughed off, with a light blush as Akira started laughing too. “That was revenge for Hawaii, wasn’t it?”

“You know it, sweetheart,” Akira said with a smug grin on his face as Sumire blushed even harder than before. “Happy birthday, Sumi. Let’s make it a good one.”

“Thank you Akira-senpai! Let’s go and explore the aquarium!”

They both queued up in line for tickets, as they soon got two tickets for entry of the aquarium and the penguin show. The girlfriend and boyfriend duo happily scanned the tickets, heading into the depths of the aquarium to explore the wonders of the ocean blue.

_ Take Your Time _

_ “The penguin show will be starting soon. Join us at the newly opened exhibit and hang out with the penguins!” _

“Ooh ooh! Senpai! The penguin show is starting, Senpai! Let’s go!” Sumire excitedly dragged Akira towards the exhibit as he struggled to keep up with his excited girlfriend.

“Slow down…. Sumire! We don’t….. have to….. rush!” Akira panted, albeit surprised that they managed to get seats in the front row of the amphitheater, as it started to fill up with more and more people. After a few minutes of waiting, a loud voice echoed across the room through a speaker on both sides of the open aired exhibit, signalling the start of the show.

_ “Hello everyone and welcome to the special penguin show! We’re about to bring you on a wild ride with our feathery and flightless friends as you witness their natural every day routine and feeding!” _

The audience around them clapped audibly as Sumire leaned in to Akira and whispered, “I absolutely adore penguins! This show will be so much fun!”

As the show continued on, everyone was introduced to the four penguins that would be helping out with the show today, as the hosts had the penguins do small tricks and hunt for food. Sumire couldn’t contain her excitement as the show went on, while Akira just sat next to her, smiling in bliss as he watched his girlfriend happily. He didn’t know how much time had passed, but he finally snapped out of his daydream when the show ended, and Sumire stood up and offered him her hand.

“Senpai? The show’s over. Are you alright?” Sumire asked as Akira took her hand, nodding slowly. “You were staring at me the whole time, weren’t you, Senpai!”

Akira let out a chuckle. “You caught me, Sumi. I’m sorry, but I couldn’t stop staring at the pretty sight sitting next to me.”

“You have such a way with words, Senpai… But I’m flattered,” Sumire blushed as they walked out of the amphitheater, hand in hand as they made their way towards the exit.

Akira looked at the time, his phone’s time now reading 17:20. “We should probably start heading back. We’ve spent quite a while here today, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, Sumi.”

“Of course I did Senpai! Thank you for bringing me out today! That penguin show was really fun to watch! Let’s head back to Leblanc, shall we?”

“Right we shall.”

_ Take Your Time _

_ “Yongen-Jaya. This is Yongen-Jaya station. This is the last stop on this line. Thank you for travelling with us.” _

“This is our stop,” Akira said as he stood up, and offered his hand to Sumire from the seat that they somehow managed to snag during the rush hour. She gracefully took his hand as they made their way out of the crammed subway car into the backstreets of Yongen. 

“What’s the plan tonight, Senpai? Are we gonna watch Neo Featherman again? I can’t wait!” Sumire exclaimed in glee as they made their way to the front door of Leblanc.

“I mean we could, but I think I have something better in store…” Akira suavely steered the topic off course while injecting some vague foreshadowing into his words.

“Something better than Featherman with Senpai?!”

Akira chuckled, reaching for the keys that Sojiro had given him for the cafe nearly two years ago, as he slid the key into the lock and pushed the door open. The cafe seemed even more quiet than ever as it was pitch black and it seemed as though Sojiro had closed up for the day.

………

……….

………….

Akira, however, knew better than that and smirked to himself as he reached for the light switch.

**_“_ ** **SURPRISE SUMIRE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”**

Party poppers blasted from multiple areas of the cafe, spraying confetti everywhere as multiple people in hiding came out to show their faces. Ryuji, Futaba and Sojiro popped out from behind the counter, each donning a party hat and noisemakers, while Haru, Makoto, Ann and Sae came up from their places underneath the booths. The bathroom door swung open as the heads of Yusuke and Morgana popped out from behind it. Sumire could only stand in shock as everyone looked at her with a heartwarming smile on their faces.

“Surprise, Sumi. Happy birthday,” Akira whispered as he noticed Sumire start to tear up. There was a brief moment of silence before she wiped her lone tear away and the shock on her face morphed into one of happiness.

“Akira-senpai! Everyone!” Sumire exclaimed in happiness as she looked around the decorated Leblanc, noticing a pile of presents and a huge cake in one of the booths. “Did you plan this Senpai? The date was a distraction, wasn’t it?”

“Spot on, Sumire. I’m sorry I had to deceive you a little though…” Akira let slip before realising what they both had just admitted to, as they both turned in the opposite direction, blushing hard. 

“WAIT! YOU GUYS ARE DATING?!” Ryuji shouted out as the unknowing members of the ex-Phantom Thieves turned to them for confirmation. Akira and Sumire could only nod in slow unison for an answer before the room burst out into multitudes of congratulations and cheers.

“Ah! What a great couple you both make. I offer my sincerest congratulations,” Yusuke immediately congratulated them, making himself heard from behind the bathroom door, before him and Morgana walked over to where everyone else was.

“Akira-kun and Sumi-chan! I can totally see the chemistry!” Haru exclaimed in a gleeful voice as the couple flushed ever harder than before. Everyone laughed at their current predicament and offered them seats at the counter.

“You two are so cute together!” Ann observed as she let her bubbly side take over her normally calm demeanor. “I’m so happy for the both of you!”

“I’m happy for you both!” Makoto congratulated the duo. “You did a really good job of hiding it though. I’m surprised none of us were able to catch on…”

“I did!” Came Futaba’s voice from behind the counter, as Sojiro let out a sigh. 

“Yeah, Futaba still had the cafe wiretapped during Valentine’s day, so she knew that Sumire was visiting this guy for a special evening. I only found out that same day because I was keeping the shop open, although of course I left earlier to give them some privacy…”

“PLEASE STOP TALKING, SOJIRO!” Akira yelled in a desperate attempt to stop Sojiro from making it sound like they did any more than they actually did on Valentine's day. “You’re making it sound like we did any more than we actually did, and I don’t want people getting the wrong idea!”

Everyone let out a hearty laugh as all eyes focused were on the newly found out couple. Sumire stood up from her seat at the counter as she spoke a few words of thanks.

“Everyone…. I’m so happy that you all managed to gather here and surprise me like this! I’m really thankful for everyone coming together to set this up for me, and I’m especially thankful to Akira for planning this out. Thank you all very much!” Sumire thanked, as she pulled her boyfriend into a hug. The Thieves soon joined in, to the amusement of Sae and Sojiro, who could only smile at the sweetness of it all.

“Alright, alright! Let’s cut to the chase- and the cake!” Morgana meowed from his own seat at the counter as he motioned to everyone to sit down.

“Sumire, if you would do the honors….” Akira said, handing her the cake knife, as she happily took both his hand and the cake knife, gracefully cutting the cake together.

“Happy birthday sweetheart. I love you.”

“I love you too Senpai…” Sumire replied as Sae took it upon herself to cut and give out the slices of cake. “Thank you Niijima-san! I appreciate it!

“No problem, Sumire. Also, you don’t need to be so formal, Sae is fine.” Came a reply from Sae, as she handed out a plate to Sojiro and Futaba. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get you anything, but the least I could do is wish you a happy birthday.”

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that! I’m just happy you could come, really!” Sumire told her as she took a bite into the cake. “This cake is delicious! Who picked red velvet? It’s my absolute favorite!”

_ “Told you!” _ Came two voices from opposite parts of the room as Akira and Ann both looked at each other, and started laughing hysterically, to which everyone else laughed as well, bracing themselves for a long night of partying, celebrations and laughs.

_ Take Your Time _

“What’s the plan now?” Sumire asked as they helped Sojiro wash the dishes and clean up the cafe. “Did you guys have anything else planned?”

“Uhhhh…..” Ryuji started, with a nervous look on his face. “We didn’t really plan much else besides the surprise party and the dinner…. OH! Maybe, we could play some Tycoo-”

“As fun as Tycoon is, I don’t think we should play it too much, or we’d get bored of it quickly.” Makoto interjected her stance on the matter. “Is there anything else we could all do and enjoy?”

“Mwehehehe!” Futaba laughed in her signature way as she slipped behind the counter and started looking for something. “I’ve got the perfect solution!”

“I wonder what it could be…..What do you think, Senpai?” Sumire leaned in to whisper to Akira, completely unaware of what Futaba could be capable of.

“I’m not too sure myself, but knowing Futaba, it could be anything…”

“Aha! Found it!” Futaba soon stood up triumphantly holding a large bluetooth speaker and two microphones, as Ann, Ryuji and Yusuke all exclaimed in excitement.

“OMG You prepared a karaoke night but didn’t tell us, Futaba?!” Ann yelped in surprise as she immediately went over to examine the microphones and speaker. “These are high quality mics and speakers too! Where’d you buy these?!”

“Oh, y’know… Spending a lot of time in Akihabara can lead to the discovery of many things!” Futaba exclaimed with pride in her voice. “Anyways, since we have a newly discovered duo here, how about they duet first?”

“Oh, a duet between Akira and Sumire? I can’t wait to see this!” Morgana meowed as he relaxed on his chair at the counter. “Pick a good song!”

“W-Wait! Y-You mean me and Senpai, sing a d-duet?!” Sumire stuttered as she started blushing. “I-I could try, but I’m not too confident in my singing voice, nor my memory of songs…”

“If you’ll allow me, Futaba…” Akira started as all attention was turned to him. “I’ll pick a song for the two of us to sing.”

“S-Senpai!? What song do you have in mind?”

“Alright, then Akira! You can pick any song you like from my playlist, although I’m pretty sure I know exactly which one you’ll pick, Mwehehehe!”

Akira scrolled through the playlist that Futaba had set up, finding a mix of Disney duets and other things, but he finally stopped at one song that managed to catch his eye unlike the rest. He smirked as he selected the song and handed Sumire a microphone while taking one himself. The sound of triumphant trumpets took the stage as he smiled at Sumire who started jumping up and down in glee.

“That’s the opening to Phoenix Featherman Ranger titled Let’s Go Featherman! Now this is something I know by heart! Good choice Senpai!”

Akira smirked as he started singing the song that plays at the beginning of every Neo Featherman episode. 

_ “ _ _ Kimi wo neratteru ayashiku shinobi yoru kage, tachimukau yuuki wo, ima koso!” _

He smiled at Sumire, who soon took the initiative as she started following along the lyrics she knew by heart.

_“Atsuku nagareru chikara zuyoi kodou ni, nigirishimeta kobushi wo,”_ She took a breath as they both unionised their voices for the final word. **_“Kakagete!”_**

Akira sang the next part, preparing for the hardest part of the duet to get right.  _ “Ooshiku, tsubasa hatame kase!” _

Sumire noticed this too, as she too prepared her timing to be perfectly in sync with Akira.

_ “Toki wo!” _

_ “Koete!” _

_ “Asu wo! _

_ “Tomo ni! _

**_“Tamashi no otakebi!”_ **

Sumire and Akira sang in perfect unison as they looked at each other, took a deep breath and nodded, preparing for the chorus.

**_“Moe agare Feathermen! Fujimi no senshi yo!”_ **

**_“Sora yori mo takaku! Kumo o tsuginuke Feathermen!”_ **

**_“Ikuze! Bokura no Feathermen!”_ **

**_“Kirameku utsukushi~ kono~ hoshi,”_ **

**_“Oh! Yes! Yes! Let’s Go Featherman!”_ **

**_“_ ** **_Fushichou Sentai Feathermannnn!!”_ **

Akira and Sumire held the high note for as long as possible, until the song finally came to an end. The entire group had a round of applause for their singing coordination as they finally sat down, out of breath.

“I...can’t believe… we just did that...Senpai…” Sumire panted as she looked at him with a smirk. “I never knew you were such a good singer! I’m impressed, Akira-senpai!”

“I could say the same about you, Sumire. I never knew you had it in you…” Akira complimented her back as they both let out a light chuckle.

“I am impressed to say the least,” Came a comment from Sae, holding a glass of alcohol. “You two put on a fine show, especially being the first one of the night. It’ll be hard to live up to that!”

“I have to agree with sis,” Makoto said as she smiled at the two of them. “The two of you really do make a fantastic duet.”

“Man, Akira! I never knew you could sing! Can you give me some pointers? Tips?” Ryuji pelted his best friend with questions until Yusuke stepped in with some words of his own.

“Ryuji, anyone can sing, it just depends on how well you sing, along with how elegant you look when you sing!” Yusuke exclaimed as he attempted to bring out his sketchbook only to have a hand stop him from doing so. “Fair enough, I’ll leave the thought of sketching the both of you singing to another day…. Although I must say you both synced up quite well.”

“Yeah! No kidding!” Futaba interjected. “It’s gonna be hard to top the both of you!”

“Thanks, guys. We only did our best, after all!” Akira smirked as he pulled Sumire into a hug, to which she eagerly reciprocated.

“Right, Senpai!” Sumire agreed as they broke out of the hug, before Sojiro stepped in with a guffaw and asked a single question.

“So, who’s going next?”

_ Take Your Time _

The party continued on for another two hours, as everyone took a turn at singing duets with one another, the most impressive duets after Sumire and Akira being Ann and Ryuji, along with Makoto and Haru. Everyone was soon tired out and they decided to wrap up the party for the night. The Thieves soon started heading home one by one and Haru was the last one to leave.

“Thank you again for organising and helping out with the preparations, Haru!” Sumire expressed her gratitude as everyone prepared to leave for the night. “This was one of my best birthdays ever! I can’t thank you enough!”

“It really was no problem, Sumi-chan! Happy birthday again! We’ll see each other another day!” Haru’s voice came from the doorway. “Goodbye everyone!”

As Sojiro and Akira finished cleaning up the cafe, Futaba called out to Sojiro.

“Are we done yet, Sojiro? We should really be leaving the two lovebirds alone, shouldn’t we?”

“I agree too. I should probably stay the night with Futaba so as to not interrupt your alone time. Have fun you two!” Morgana laughed in his signature way as Sojiro dragged the two of them out of the store.

“I’ll leave the store to you, kid. Happy birthday again, Sumire.” Sojiro muttered as he dragged the giggling girl and cat out of the store.

“Thank you for organising all this for me, Senpai! I’m happy that everyone managed to come together to celebrate my birthday!” Sumire sighed in content as she stood up from her seat in the booth. “I love you Senpai. Thank you…”

“I love you too, Sumire. And no need to thank me, I’m just doing what a normal boyfriend should do.” Akira replied suavely as she blushed a light shade of red. Akira pulled her into a hug, which she reciprocated with grace.

Their hug was soon interrupted by a knock on the door, and a familiar voice calling out to them from outside.

“Excuse me, I hope I’m not intruding at such a late hour. Would you mind opening the door, Akira-kun?”

…….

………

Akira and Sumire broke from the hug only to see that the person standing outside was none other than Takuto Maruki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: So this chapter was reaaaally fun to right. I loved this chapter to bits. I hope you guys enjoyed that Duet between Sumire and Akira, and please look forward to the next chapter in two weeks time. Massive shoutout to RainyDays (SunsetHours), the author of (Joker on Ice) https://archiveofourown.org/works/24013726/chapters/57772423 for proofreading my work, and a massive shoutout to Hawkright for shouting me out in his own fic, (Rig the Game: Royal) https://archiveofourown.org/works/23699164/chapters/56901121 . Shoutout to VitaminLuce, Author of (Wistful Dreams and a Birthday Well Spent) https://archiveofourown.org/works/24296992/chapters/58568461 and Kazura, Author of (Retribution of The Trickster) https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13591617/1/Retribution-of-the-Trickster .


	8. Gifts of the Heart

“Doc…..? Is that you?” Akira stared at the door to Leblanc, speechless as he managed to make out the person who was standing in the cold spring air, none other than one Takuto Maruki. “Come in, and have a seat. It’s….a pleasure seeing you again.”

Akira chose his words carefully, as he was still slightly wary from the version of Doc that haunted his dreams for many nights over the past year. Maruki noticed this as he walked through the door, trying to keep his comforting smile on his face as he took a seat opposite Akira and Sumire in the booth.

“Hello, Akira-kun and Yoshizawa-san.” Maruki greeted them with a smile. “ You both seemed to be in high spirits just a moment ago, I hope I didn’t interrupt anything…” 

“No, it’s fine Doctor Maruki! And please, call me Sumire. I’ve embraced who I truly am, so there’s no need for formalities.”

“Ah, that’s right…” Maruki turned his head to the side and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, before he looked at Sumire and smiled. “I’m happy for you though, Sumire-san. You’re a prime example of showing me that my actualization, as you called it, didn’t need to happen.”

“Your intentions were good though, Doc. Don’t sweat the details…” Akira firmly got his point across as he got out from his place in the booth. “Do you want some coffee? It’s not as good as Boss’, but I do make a pretty good cup…”

“Thank you, Akira-kun. I’d love a cup of coffee, a hint of sugar. Oh, if you don’t mind that is. I’d rather not make you uncomfortable…”

“It’s fine, Doc. It isn’t your fault,” Akira grabbed a bag of Panama Esmeralda Geisha and started to grind the beans. “I’m just a little... on edge, and I just didn’t expect to see you tonight, so what’s up?”

“Ah, right. I actually nearly forgot that it was Yoshizaw- I mean Sumire-san’s birthday today! So I wanted to drop by your house for a little visit…” Maruki shook his head when he remembered going to Sumire’s house and finding out that she wasn’t home..

“Ah! I’m sorry I wasn’t there to greet you Doctor Maruki…” Sumire apologised, but Maruki waved it off with a confident smile.

“It wasn’t your fault, Sumire-san. I should’ve called ahead of time,” Maruki consoled her as he relaxed in his seat. “In any case I just thought that if you weren’t home at this late an hour, you’d probably be at Leblanc with Akira, and here I am.”

“That’s some good intuition on your part, Doc. I’m impressed…” Akira responded with a slightly intrigued look on his face, and soon brought him the warm cup of coffee and set it on the table in front of him. “But you must’ve had some reason to come by, so what is it?”

“Getting right to the point I see. You were always like that, even when I was counselling in Shujin…” Maruki reminisced as he glanced at Akira with a genuine smile. “Anyways, I just wanted to visit Sumire-san to wish her a happy birthday, and drop off a little present I managed to find.”

Maruki handed Sumire a well wrapped present with a smile as she gracefully accepted it and thanked him for the well wishes.

“Oh please, there’s no need to thank me. I was just doing this to show a little appreciation, and to apologise for two years ago…” Maruki looked down-trodden for a moment though he quickly shook it off and brought back a smile. “I wasn’t really sure what to get you, but I hope you like it!”

“Would you mind if I opened it now, Doctor Maruki? I’m really curious about it now!” Sumire excitedly held the present to her chest, as Akira smiled at her.

Maruki shook his head. “Please do. And if I’m being honest, I’d be a whole lot more relieved if I could see your initial reaction.”

Sumire slowly unwrapped her present, untying the bow that the ribbon around it had been tied into. Inside was a cookbook, full of recipes and flavors she had always wanted to try making. She jumped up in her seat ecstatically as she thanked Maruki for the present. “Thank you Doctor Maruki! I’ve always been looking for a good cookbook to try and expand my horizons! This will really help me with that!”

“I’m glad to see you like it that much. It was a struggle picking out something for you, but something about that cookbook told me that you’d like it.” Maruki chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee. “Although truth be told, I had another reason for coming here.”

Akira froze and tensed up, as he turned towards Maruki with a stern face and glared at him, immediately wary of the several possible ways this could go. Maruki sensed this, and put his hands up in an attempt to calm him down. 

“Calm down, Akira-kun, it’s nothing like what you think it is, trust me.” Maruki lowered his hands as he faced the two of them with a serious expression. “I just wanted to come and say a thank you in person, Akira-kun. You managed to help me complete my paper, and successfully changed my heart two years ago. I’ve been looking for a way to still continue what I love doing, but with a more realistic approach.”

“Alright… So what did you have in mind, Doc?” Akira questioned as Maruki took another sip of his coffee. “Nothing involving cognitive psience, or the Metaverse, right?”

“No no, nothing of the sort. That would be impossible now that the Metaverse has been permanently erased. I’ve been planning on starting a non-profit organisation, for people dealing with or having had to deal with severe mental trauma, Sumire-san over here being a good example.”

“That’s great Doctor Maruki! I’m happy for you!” Sumire enthusiastically congratulated Maruki as he gave her the biggest smile he could possibly offer. “Now you can start to help people again!”

“Thank you, Sumire-san. I’m glad you see it that way. I’m planning to follow my dream with a more practical and realistic approach, something I’ve learned from the Phantom Thieves,” Maruki said with happiness as he looked to the both of them with a serious, yet kind expression on his face. “This is where I need a little help. Sumire-san, it would mean a lot to me if you could occasionally lend me your input from time to time…” 

“Me?!” Sumire reacted with a surprised look, while Akira simply nodded his head. “Why me, Doctor Maruki?”

“Let me, Doc,” Akira cut in, as Maruki gave him a surprised look, but it soon changed to an understanding smile as he relaxed in his seat. 

“Go ahead, Akira-kun.”

“Doc here wants your input, and I’m sure it’s because you’re a person that’s gone through some of your own mental trauma, and has had your life impacted a lot because of it. It’d only be natural that he’d seek your advice, sweetheart.”

“Right on the nose. I’m impressed, Akira-kun. You’re a very perceptive person.” Maruki pointed out. “But he’s right, Sumire-san. I seek your advice because you’re a person who has made it

“I’m honored that you’d seek my advice Doctor Maruki! I’ll help in any way I can!” Sumire nodded her head in enthusiasm. 

“I cannot express my gratitude enough to you, Sumire-san, Akira-kun, and all of the Phantom Thieves. You all have changed my life and my way of thinking. This is the least I can do to repay for all you’ve done,” Maruki solemnly smiled at the duo, as he took another sip of coffee, and proceeded to down the cup. “That was some good coffee, Akira-kun. You weren’t lying when you said you make a good cup.”

“I’m glad you liked it, Doc.”

“It is getting pretty late though, I’m glad we could have this talk,” Maruki gave the two of them one final smile as he got up from his seat and headed towards the door. “Thank you both, again. If I have any need for either of you, I’ll leave a message, and I hope you won’t hesitate to do the same for me. Have a good night.”

Maruki opened the door to the chilly spring air as the bells chimed once more, walking out of the cafe, leaving Akira and Sumire truly alone for the remainder of the night.

“Senpai? Are you alright?” Sumire questioned him with a concerned look on her face.

“Yeah, I’m probably just overly cautious. I always feel like I want to be able to talk like we did two years ago when he worked at Shujin, but I just…” Akira couldn’t finish his sentence, feeling as though something was stopping him. Memories of Maruki’s ‘paradise’ soon came back to him as he started to tear up, looking towards Sumire for reassurance.

“Don’t worry, Senpai… I understand.” Sumire comforted him as well as she could, giving him a brief hug. “It’s because of those nightmares you’ve been having, isn’t it? From what Morgana’s been telling me, they’d do that to anyone. But I know you’re better than that Senpai, so please, keep fighting the nightmares.”

“Thank you, Sumire…” Akira sniffled as he wrapped her in another hug. Sumire happily accepted his warm embrace as they stayed that way for several minutes, Akira occasionally letting out a single tear as he expressed his emotions to the one he loved the most. “Please.... Take care of me, Sumi…”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Senpai…” Sumire whispered quietly as they both broke from the hug. “I’ll always be here for you, now and forever. I only wish that you didn’t keep quiet about these things…”

Sumire looked a little hurt, as Akira gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and apologised for it. 

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. If anything like this ever happens again, I’ll be sure to let you know about it. I didn’t mean to worry you, but I just didn’t want you to have to worry about me…” Akira trailed off, as Sumire vigorously shook her head in disagreement.

“Senpai… If anything, I’d be happy to help you,” Sumire replied quietly, as she looked up to him and nodded her head. “Just like you helped me two years ago…”

Akira nodded his head, as he wiped a tear from his eye. “Right. Thank you, Sumire….. I really don’t know where I’d be without you…”

“It’s alright Senpai… Sometimes I think about what would have happened if you weren’t there to shake me out of my own deluded happiness…” Sumire muttered, looking away. “But I always try to move past the ‘what ifs’ and try to look at what we have now. I have an amazing boyfriend, and the best group of friends I’d never give up for the world. You’ve all helped me through so much, and I’d love to do the same for everyone if they ever need it.”

Akira let a small smile creep onto his face. “That means a lot coming from you, sweetheart. Thank you…”

“Always, and forever, Senpai…” Sumire comforted him as a gentle smile soon appeared on her face. “Let’s wash up and get ready for bed, alright? It’s been a long day, I’m sure you’re tired.”

Akira’s smile didn’t last long as it soon turned into a brief smirk. “Are you sure you don’t want to open your presents? If that’s the case, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind me keeping them, right?”

“Senpai! You wouldn’t!” Sumire played along as she fake pouted, before breaking out into a laugh with Akira as they both got changed and washed up for the night.

_Take Your Time_

Akira stepped out of the bathroom in his usual sleeping clothes feeling refreshed as he let out a loud yawn, before looking over at the counter and seeing his girlfriend yawn as well.

“Senpai! You know that’s _*yawn*_ contagious!” Sumire yawned, then soon laughed.

“Sorry, sweetheart. You know I can’t help it,” Akira laughed in response as he offered his hand to her. “Shall we go upstairs though? I’ve moved your presents upstairs so we can open them in the room. The futon’s set up as well.”

“Right, Senpai! I’m really thankful for everyone even planning something for my birthday, and especially thankful to have such a good boyfriend,” Sumire teased as she took his hand, following him upstairs to his comfy attic room. “I wonder what everyone chose to get me…”

As they both looked over to the pile of presents, wrapped up in different styles of wrapping paper, they started figuring out which was whose.

“That’s definitely Ryuji’s, I can see a lot of careless wrapping mistakes he made…” Akira called out, pointing to a present that’s a little weathered on the outside. “That’d be Futaba’s, I can definitely tell Sojiro helped her out with that, and there’s no mistaking that Feathermen wrapping paper.”

“Yeah, I see what you mean, but at least he tried his best!” Sumire replied as she picked up another present. “These two seem to be very well wrapped, I can’t really spot the difference between them…”

“The one on the right is Makoto’s, and I’d assume the one on the left is Ann’s.”

“Wow, Senpai! I’m impressed! How could you tell?”

“Simple, really. Buchimaru-kun wrapping is definitely Makoto, and you can tell that the other one is Ann’s because hers is simply wrapped but looks nice,” Akira explained as Sumire looked at him impressed. “I guess spending a lot of time with them resulted in me noticing a lot of their habits…”

“That only shows how much you care about them Senpai!” Sumire eagerly told him as she set down the two presents she was holding. “You notice these things because you care about their likes and dislikes and you make sure to never get on the wrong side of anyone. I actually really admire you sometimes…”

Akira shrugged. “I try my best. I guess I just have a knack for noticing the subtle things.”

“So, this would be Morgana’s present, right? I can see he definitely tried his best at wrapping it himself, but the wrapping tore up a little…”

“Yeah, I can imagine how hard it is to wrap presents with cat paws, but he did an amazing job.”

Sumire looked towards the final present, which seemed to be the largest out of them all.

“So that final present would be…?”

“Haru’s and Yusuke’s.” 

“Ah, I really don’t want to ask Senpai, but where’s yours? I can’t help but wonder what you got for me...” Sumire questioned innocently as she took Ryuji’s present and began unwrapping it.

“I’m saving the best for last, sweetheart,” Akira smirked as he saw Sumire immediately freeze and turn a bright shade of crimson. “I hope you like it.”

“A-Ah, r-right Senpai! T-Thank you…” Sumire stuttered quietly as she finished unwrapping Ryuji’s present.

Sumrie opened the cardboard box that was inside the wrapping paper to find a small electronic wristwatch that seemed to fit her perfectly. 

“This is the newest model of that smartwatch I saw a while back! How did he know I was looking for one of these?!” Sumire exclaimed in surprise as she tried on the watch and played around with the features. “I’ll need to thank Ryuji later, what a thoughtful gift!”

“Hold on, I think there’s something else inside the box,” Akira pulled out a handwritten note that Sumire hadn’t noticed earlier as he began to read it aloud.

_“Heya Sumire! I honestly didn’t know what to get for you for your birthday, but then I remembered that we’re both athletes! I actually have one of these watches myself that I use for when I work out and it’s been pretty nifty! I hope you had a nice birthday and can find good use for my present!”_

_Ryuji_

“I’m honestly impressed that Ryuji managed to think of something like this,” Akira smiled as he watched his girlfriend try the watch on in awe, navigating through all the features before soon taking it off and putting it back in the box. “How do you like it?”

“I love it! I wish I could thank him right now, but I think I’ll wait for tomorrow before sending him a thank you. It’s pretty late right now…” Sumire replied, picking up Ann’s present, and started unwrapping it. “I wonder what Ann-senpai got for me…”

“Knowing Ann, it’d probably be something fashionable,” Akira laughed jokingly. “She never fails to keep up with the industry, being a model and all.”

Sumire perks up at this. “Oh, you’re right Senpai! I almost forgot that Ann-Senpai is in the modelling business!” 

“I’m actually curious to see what she got for you.”

“Alright, alright Senpai! You don’t need to rush me,” Sumire teased as she finished unwrapping the present, and opened the box to find a blue hair ribbon and a box of chocolates, along with another handwritten note. 

“Chocolates and a new ribbon? She really knows you well…” Akira chuckled as Sumire took the handwritten note out and started reading it aloud.

_“Hi Sumire! Happy birthday! I went out shopping with Makoto, but I couldn’t really find anything that I thought would look good on you, until we came across this ribbon! We thought it would go well with the blue dress you often wear. I hope you like it!”_

_Ann_

“How thoughtful of her! I really like it!” Sumire exclaimed as she undid her current hair ribbon and tied up the new one, and gave a quick spin to show it off to Akira. “So Senpai, what do you think?”

“I think it looks amazing. It really gives off a different aura, and I like that. Ann really has a good eye when it comes to fashion…” Akira admired as he watched his girlfriend smile in agreement. Looking at the note again, Akira noticed a little bit of writing at the bottom that his girlfriend seemed to have missed. “It seems you missed a PS, Sumi.”

“Did I? What does it say?”

_“PS: I hope you enjoy those chocolates! I bought these right before I flew back in from New York. I hope you can enjoy them with your family or someone special to you!”_

“Oh right! I was wondering why there was a box of chocolates in there too! That’s really nice of her!”

“Knowing Ann, this seems like something she’d do. Those chocolates look really good too,” Akira said, looking at the chocolates in hunger. “As much as I’d love to start eating them now, it probably isn’t so healthy to do it at this hour...”

“Yeah, you’re probably right Senpai…” Sumire sighed as she put down the box of chocolates near the smartwatch and picked up Futaba’s present.

“This would be Futaba-senpai’s present, right?” Sumire asked, as she started tearing up the wrapping paper. “I wonder what she got me…”

“Oh I think you’re gonna love this. I helped her pick between two things, and I thought this one was much better after a certain night together...” Akira smirked as Sumire flushed a light shade of red after hearing what he said. 

“You helped her pick it Senpai? If that’s the case, I’m sure I’ll love it!” 

Sumire finished unwrapping the gift to find the 1/7th scale Feather White figure that Futaba managed to pay for with her own hard earned money, and another handwritten note fell out of the wrapping paper as she admired the present.

“Is this… a Featherman White figurine?! How did she know?!” Sumire shouted in glee as she immediately inspected the box and then the figure inside. “The model is very well made, you can see the attention to detail in the costume! I love it Senpai! And thank you Futaba-senpai! I know you can hear me, so thank you!”

**_*BZZ* *BZZ*_ **

Akira and Sumire both smiled as Sumire took out her phone and checked her IMs, Akira looking over her shoulder as she opened the new message from Futaba.

_Private Messaging (FeatherCyanIsInnocent and SumiEvergarden)_

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Mwehehe! I’m happy you liked it! I put a lot of hard work into earning that money, so you’d better take real good care of it, alright?_

_SumiEvergarden: Of course, Futaba-senpai! I’ll treasure it with all my heart!_

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent: I’m happy to hear it! Have a good night with Akira, alright? And Akira? Make sure not to go too far with her, if you know what I mean! ;) Good night!_

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent has gone offline_

Akira could only shake his head in embarrassment while his girlfriend blushed a darker shade of red. Akira picked up the handwritten note and noticed that instead of Futaba’s scribbly writing, it was a much neater more organised stroke of notes that filled the page.

“This isn’t Futaba’s handwriting… Did Sojiro write this? I wonder what he said…” Akira muttered as he started reading it aloud.

_“Hello, Yoshizawa-san, and happy birthday! I haven’t really spoken to you much on a personal level, but I wanted to send you my regards either way. Akira seems to have seen something in you, something which he never saw in any of the other girls. He would never admit it, but I can guarantee that he sees a genuine burning love in his heart for you. Never lose sight of it. I wish you two the best of luck, and once again, happy birthday from myself, and Futaba.”_

_Sojiro_

“How nice of him! And is that true, Akira-senpai?” Sumire teased as Akira soon started to blush a little too as he leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead.

“If you want me to say it, then yes, it’s true. I’ve never felt the same way I felt for you with anyone else. You’re my one and only, and I will never lose you.” Akira spoke from the heart, earning a genuine smile from Sumire, as he smiled back at her.

“Thank you Senpai. I’m happy to hear it.” 

Sumire then picked up Makoto’s present, looking at the Buchimaru-kun wrapping paper, before starting to unwrap the present with care. Akira could see from the shape of it that it was a plush toy, but he couldn’t make out what it was until Sumire finished unwrapping it.

“Is that...ME?!” Akira yelped in surprise as Sumire pulled the plush out of its wrapping and immediately gave it a large hug. "Makoto... actually got a custom plush made... of me..."

“I LOVE IT! It’s so adorable!” Sumire exclaimed in happiness as she continued hugging the plush before stopping and putting it next to her boyfriend, comparing the two. “It really is well made! It captures your stoic expression, your glasses, the smug smile, all down to the Shujin uniform! I absolutely adore it!”

“I’m glad to hear it…?”

Sumire and Akira both admired the workings and details of the plush before Sumire picked up another handwritten note on the floor that wasn’t previously there, and started reading it aloud.

_“Dear Sumire,_

_I wanted to wish you a happy birthday, and I hope you had fun at the party! This present may seem to be out of the blue, but I can explain. I’ve had an inkling of suspicion that you and Akira have been dating for some time, so I took a gamble. Hopefully it paid off, and you can enjoy that plush. “_

_Best wishes,_

_Makoto_

“Always one for formality, as usual…” Akira sighed as he looked back at the plush. “This is a very well made plush though, although I’m surprised she could have it done so quickly. This kind of quality in such a short amount of time is really quite surprising.”

“I’m surprised she managed to deduce that we were together in such a short time. I guess we weren’t subtle enough,” Sumire said thoughtfully, as she put the plush on the futon next to her pillow, and picked up the final two presents. “I wonder which I should open next?”

“I’d say save Haru’s and Yusuke’s for last, partially because I’ve already seen it and they put a lot of hard work into it. Morgana’s would match it well though.”

“I guess I’ll be opening Morgana-senpai’s present next then!” 

Sumire eagerly started unwrapping it with ease. Inside was a simple and plain looking cardboard box that she eagerly opened to find a pair of red gloves.

“Are these… These are the gloves from my Phantom Thief outfit!” Sumire gushed in excitement as she admired the delicate craftwork that Morgana had put into the gift. “These look amazing! They’re really accurate from what I remember of my outfit! I’ll have to thank Morgana later…”

“Try them on...Violet,” Akira smirked looking at his girlfriend as he immediately saw her look away from him, blushing intensely. Sumire took a deep breath, before looking at her boyfriend and giving him a confident smile.

Sumire put on her gloves as she struck an elegant pose, resembling the time the two of them fought together in the Metaverse, before breaking the act and laughing. Akira couldn’t help but laugh too.

“Just like old times.”

Sumire nodded. “I really miss my Phantom Thief outfit though. That outfit really fit me well too…”

Akira tried to be as subtle as possible while changing the topic. “Well, I hope the last present will cheer you up a little. Yusuke and Haru worked really hard on it!”

“I wonder what they managed to get for me…” Sumire wondered as she picked up the present and began to unwrap it slowly. Underneath all the wrapping paper was a somewhat large cardboard box, inside it containing the mask and her Phantom Thief outfit Haru and Yusuke made with care. "My… My Phantom Thief outfit!? But… but how?!"

"Yusuke has a surprisingly good memory, from what I know. He made a detailed sketch of you in your Phantom Thief outfit and then called Haru over to help with the making of the leotard, the cape, and the mask," Akira explained with a big grin on his face, as he looked at his speechless girlfriend and patted her on the head. 

"I… I don't know what to say… I'm a little overwhelmed…” Sumire gave her boyfriend a big hug. “I’m so happy right now!”

“I’m happy that you’re happy sweetheart. You should definitely thank them later. They put a lot of time and effort into this."

“Of course! I’m really happy! I’ve missed this outfit so much! Even though I won’t be able to wear it out in public, I’m still happy that I get to even see this outfit again! I would’ve never thought I’d see it again…” Sumire visibly perked up as she noticed two distinct pieces of paper sticking out from the black design of the outfit in the box. 

“One note from each of them, I see… Which one will you read first?”

“How about this one?” Sumire picked up a note with neat cursive handwriting and started reading it aloud. 

_“Hello, Sumire! I hope you had a wonderful birthday party and a wonderful birthday! I was a little hesitant on what to do for your birthday, but then Yusuke-kun reached out to me asking for help on his idea! We managed to work it out together and you can see the end product. I hope you liked it!”_

_Haru_

Sumire jumped a little after reading Haru’s letter out loud. “I can’t believe they actually managed to work together and recreate my Phantom Thief outfit! Paired with the gloves Morgana gave me, I actually have the very same outfit!” 

“Shall I read Yusuke’s next?”

“Go ahead, Senpai!”

_“Sumire, I wish you on behalf of us all, a very happy birthday. I hope you like the present that Haru and I have spent countless hours working on. It seems to have turned out well, and I’m quite happy to say that the finished product in front of you was a success. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.”_

_Yusuke_

“Words cannot express the joy that I’m feeling right now Senpai! Everyone had such amazing gifts for me!” Sumire exclaimed in happiness, nearly jumping in joy. “I really enjoyed today, Akira-senpai… Thank you for celebrating my birthday with me…”

“I’m really happy to hear it. I enjoyed today as much as you did. We really need to go on more dates…” Akira teased as his girlfriend, as she flushed crimson. “But I think you’ve forgotten about one small thing…”

“W-What would that be?”

“Close your eyes, sweetheart. Trust me.”

Sumire closed her eyes. She couldn’t keep them closed for long before sneaking a peek at what Akira was doing, seeing him walk over to his work desk and grabbing something, before quickly shutting her eyes again. Akira walked over to her after grabbing what he needed as quietly as possible, as to not give her any hints on what he was up to. He first untied her ribbon and gracefully let her hair down before handing her the plushie of himself for her to snuggle with.

“Senpai? What are you doing?” Sumire asked out of curiosity with her hands still around the plush, to which Akira shook his head with a smile, and patted her on the head.

“I’m almost done, Sumi. Give me a little more time.” Akira spoke gently, making her relax a little more as he visibly saw her loosen up. He sighed at the sight of his girlfriend, so vulnerable yet so trusting of her boyfriend.

……

…….

……..

Sumire felt the glasses on her face get removed, and then put back on, before feeling a pair of lips on her own, to which she immediately leaned forward into the kiss, with her eyes still closed.

The both of them soon broke from the kiss and Sumire opened her eyes, immediately noticing the new pair of glasses that were on her face. “Senpai! These are new glasses! The lenses are at the right power too! How did you know?!”

“Well, I went to the optics shop in Kichijoji, because I remember going there with you to pick up your dad’s glasses, and I may or may not have mentioned your name…” Akira said with a big grin on his face. “How do you like these frames?”

“I absolutely love them Senpai! Thank you so much!” Sumire gave her boyfriend a big hug, as he happily embraced her in his arms. “It really means a lot to know that you’d go so far out of your way for me.”

“Of course, sweetheart. I love you, you know that right? I’d be willing to go to the ends of the earth and back for you,” Akira smiled sweetly, as they continued to embrace each other for a little while longer. “Happy birthday, Sumire. I hope it was the best one yet.”

“It definitely was Senpai. Thank you for everything. I really mean it,” Sumire replied, before letting out a huge yawn, which was soon followed by Akira’s own. Sumire started rubbing her eyes out of tiredness.

“I would love to snuggle with you some more, but I think sleep is definitely the priority right now. We should probably go to bed for now.”

“Right, Akira-senpai… _*yawn*_ ” Sumire yawned, as she took off her glasses and cuddled her new plushie with her as she got into the futon next to Akira. “I love you, Senpai. I’ll also try not to make your arm go numb overnight too.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. Also, there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you for a long time,” Akira smirked knowingly, as she turned to face him, now lying down face to face with her one and only.

“What is it, Senpai?” Sumire asked in a whisper

_“You look nicer with your hair down.”_

With that, Akira went to sleep, leaving Sumire blushing furiously as she tried to fall asleep for the night with the one she loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Sorry for the little delay! I was caught up in a lot of things and didn't have the time to properly finish up my chapter. Wanna give out a huge shoutout to Tharon (The author of Joker on Ice) And Kazura (The author of Retribution of the Trickster) for proofreading and pushing me to get my chapter done. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and look forward to more!
> 
> Source for the art: https://twitter.com/sunbandraws/status/1262767468344377349


	9. To Have Faith in Justice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here's the Chapter that's taken me way too long to release! I'm sorry for the long wait, but I won't bore you before you get to read my chapter, so I'll save my thoughts for the AN at the bottom.

Akira woke up the next morning as the sun shone into the room, illuminating the usually dimly lit attic. He looked over to his girlfriend, still sleeping soundly, clutching the near identical plush of himself as he chuckled quietly and decided that a laying in bed a little longer didn’t seem like a bad idea at all. Akira continued to stare at his lover, getting lost in thought at how beautiful she looked as she continued to slumber. Soon enough, she began to stir, as Akira snapped out of thought, looking at his girlfriend open her eyes sleepily.

“Akira?” Sumire said with a yawn, as they both made eye contact with each other, before Sumire quickly broke it with a blush. “Good morning, Senpai…”

“Morning, sweetheart,” Akira responded with a quiet whisper, extending out his hand to meet hers halfway, as they locked fingers. “How was your night?”

“My best night ever, all thanks to you, Senpai…” She said, with a gentle smile, sitting upright as Akira followed suit, still holding hands. “Thank you for yesterday. I really enjoyed it.”

“I’m happy to hear it. I’ll go make us some coffee, so you can lie in bed a little longer if you want.”

Akira sat up and stretched, as he hopped out of the futon and began walking downstairs. Heading towards the counter, Akira grabbed a bag of Honduran (SHG) and started preparing the beans for grinding while also turning on the heat on the stove, taking out the ingredients for the curry from the fridge. Before long, he heard a familiar tune being hummed quietly as he saw his girlfriend walk downstairs, rubbing her eyes in tiredness.

_“Fushichou Sentai…. Featherman!”_

The new glasses he had got for her shone as she smiled at him in delight while he continued grinding the coffee beans as she ran over to him for a brief hug, before making her way to the bathroom. Akira chuckled as he watched his girlfriend enter the bathroom as he too began to hum in tune to the Featherman theme song. A while later, Sumire emerged from the bathroom in her casual clothes and skipped over to the counter to have a seat where a freshly brewed cup of coffee was waiting for her on the countertop.

“Thank you, Senpai!” Sumire gracefully took a seat as she looked towards Akira, in the midst of pouring out another cup for himself. Waiting until their gazes met, she smiled at him and Akira smiled right back at her, before he took a sip of his own coffee, prompting her to do the same. “This is delicious, Akira-senpai! Your coffee is always amazing!”

“I’m happy to hear it,” Akira chuckled in amusement, as he took another sip of his coffee. “I guess Boss’ lessons had more of an effect on me than I thought…”

The next few minutes were spent in silence as the couple slowly drank their morning coffee, neither of them wanting to start a conversation, but were content instead with merely the presence of the person they loved the most sitting on opposite sides of the counter. The quiet and cosy atmosphere of Leblanc sought not to interrupt the couple’s time alone, as they continued to stare at each other lovingly, occasionally taking sips of their coffee until Sumire finally broke the silence with an embarrassed look on her face.

“S-Senpai?”

“What is it, love?”

“W-Well, umm, you see… uhhh…” Sumire stuttered over her words as Akira let out a light laugh. She soon noticed his laughter and pretended to pout. “S-Senpai! It’s not funny!”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, I can’t help it,” Akira smiled at his girlfriend as she stopped pouting and looked at him eagerly. “So, what is it?”

“I really enjoyed the date yesterday, even if it was a distraction…” Sumire admitted with a light blush on her face. “So I was wondering if we could go on another date tomorrow…”

“Oh? So soon? It would seem that my girlfriend is getting a little needy…” Akira teased as he looked over to find her flushing a darker shade of red. “I’m kidding, Sumi. Of course I’d love to go on another date with you!” 

“Really, Senpai?” Sumire asked for confirmation with a pleading face and her puppy dog eyes. Akira couldn’t help but smile even more as he gave her his firm response.

“Any time spent with you is never wasted, after all,” Akira answered smoothly, radiating with confidence as he watched his girlfriend’s heart melt in front of him. “Did you already have somewhere in mind?”

“D-Dest…” Sumire spoke a little too quietly for Akira to pick up. Akira tilted his head a little, curious as to what his girlfriend suggested.

“Sorry? I didn’t catch that, love.”

“IwannagotoDestinylandwithyouSenpai!”

….

…..

……

Akira stopped in his tracks, processing what his girlfriend had just blurted out at him in silence. Already knowing his answer, he sought to formulate a response as a way to tease his girlfriend just a little more.

“Destinyland, eh?” Akira chuckled, as he leaned over the counter and looked her in the eyes. His girlfriend started flushing red as he whispered something loud enough for her to hear.

_“I’d love to go to Destinyland with you, Sumire.”_

Sumire immediately turned away, embarrassed and blushing hard, before soon turning back to face Akira, who seemed much closer than before. “A-Akira-Senpai? You’re a little close…”

Akira immediately backed away, pretending to think that he had made his girlfriend uncomfortable, as he rubbed the back of his head and apologised while smirking internally. “Sorry, sweetheart… I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable…”

Sumire quickly shook her head in disagreement. “No, it’s nothing like that, Senpai! I was just a little caught off guard, that’s all.”

Akira smirked, seeing that all the pieces were falling into place as he asked leaned forward. “So you wouldn’t mind if I got closer?”

“Senpai, what are you getting at?”

Leaning forward again, he asked her once more with an even bigger smirk on his face. “How about now?”

“Senpai! Y-You’re really close…”

“Maybe I want to be this close, sweetheart.”

“Ehhh? What do you mean Senp-” Sumire was cut off by Akira pulling her into a kiss, caught off guard for no longer than a second, she happily embraced the kiss as she closed her eyes, and merely enjoyed the presence of her boyfriend. Soon afterwards, they both broke from the kiss, blushing slightly as Akira resumed the conversation.

“Sorry love, I couldn’t help it. You were too cute for me to resist.”

“I… I love you...”

“I love you too, Sumi…”

“So, getting back on track…you really mean it?” Sumire asked with a hopeful look in her eyes as Akira could only muster the biggest smile back at her.

“Of course sweetheart. Would I lie to you?”

“Thank you Senpai! I can’t wait! This has been a dream of mine since I was little! Destinyland always looked so exciting!” Sumire gushed before seeing Akira with a surprised expression on his face.

“Sumi…”

“What is it, Senpai?”

“You’ve never been to Destinyland?”

…

….

…..

Sumire looked a little dejected as she replied with a quiet voice. “This’ll be my first time, Senpai. My parents never had the time to bring Kasumi and I when we were younger, due to our constant practice sessions with Coach Hiraguchi. I’d love for you to bring me for my first time, if you’re alright with it, Senpai…”

Akira couldn’t help but smile a little as he went over to the other side of the counter to comfort her, bringing her into a hug which she happily embraced. “I’d love to re-explore Destinyland with you, love…”

“I can’t wait, Senpai! We’re gonna have so much fun together!”

“I’ll make sure that this will be a date that we’ll never forget!”

Sumire trailed into a line of happy thoughts, some of which involved her clutching Akira tight in the haunted house, as he guided her through the dark corridors, and others which involved them sitting next to each other on the roller coasters, screaming their lungs out in joy. She was soon snapped out of her thoughts by a loud knock on the door, immediately diverting the couple’s attention.

“Hey, are you two lovebirds done? I don’t mean to interrupt, but I _do_ have a store to run!”

“Sojirooo! Let’s leave them alone! Clearly they were having a moment!”

Akira looked over towards the door of the usually quiet cafe to see Sojiro and Futaba standing outside Leblanc, with Morgana in tow. He sighed quietly, before heading over to the cafe entrance and unlocking the door, flipping the sign on it to open while simultaneously greeting Sojiro in the process.

“Morning, Boss. Had a good night’s rest?”

“Well, same old same old. I had to put this one to sleep before I could get any rest myself though,” Sojiro chuckled as he walked inside and took a deep breath. “Good morning, Yoshiza-, _ahem,_ Sumire-san. I hope you had fun yesterday. I take it you read my note?”

“Good morning, Boss! And yes, I read the note together with Akira-senpai. Thank you for the kind words!” Sumire exclaimed happily as Sojiro smiled in his usual way back at her.

“It was no problem at all. Everything in there is what I believe I see coming from the both of you. It was the least I could do, since I didn’t get you a present or anything.” 

“Oh it was no problem at all! I’m happy that you even thought to write me a note to go along with Futaba’s present! I’m very grateful that you reserved the cafe for us to have our celebration too! I can’t thank you enough!”

“Don’t mention it. You guys should know that after what happened a few years back, I’m always willing to close up shop on a moment’s notice.”

“Even so, thank you Boss!” Sumire expressed her gratitude to Sojiro before feeling a slight weight jump onto her shoulders. “Hello, Morgana-senpai, Futaba-senpai! Thank you both so much for the gifts! I really appreciate the thought!”

“I hope you enjoy putting that Feather White figure on display! I didn’t spend my money on it for nothing, alright?” Futaba questioned her closely as Sumire calmly assured her that it would be put to good use.

“Hey hey! Don’t forget about me!” Morgana meowed atop Sumire’s shoulder, as she smiled and gave him a few pets. “How did you like the gloves? Pretty spot on, I would say!”

“They looked and felt exactly like my old pair! I can’t thank you, Yusuke and Haru enough!” Sumire looked at the black cat on her shoulder affectionately, as she brought him down to her lap and started scratching him behind the ears.

“Don’t forget that they were handmade- Oooh that’s the spot!” Morgana purred as he continued to sigh in content. 

“Of course! That makes them even more special!” Sumire looked towards her boyfriend who only gave her a reassuring smile, as she smiled back at him, continuing to pet Morgana as Sojiro started preparing some of his signature curry before his regular customers started showing up.

“Oh that reminds me, Sumire. Have you sent everyone a text thanking them for their gifts?” Akira questioned as he saw her smile quickly fade, turning into a look of shock and surprise.

“I nearly forgot! Thanks for the reminder, Senpai! I’ll do that right now, actually!” Sumire responded with gratitude before pulling out her phone, and sending a message into the group chat.

_Phantom Thieves Group Chat_

_SumiEvergarden: Thank you all for the party and the presents! You guys really made my night when I opened your presents and found handwritten notes in each and every one of them, wishing me happy birthday!_

_FistOfThePhantomStar: It was no trouble at all, Sumire!_

_RollOfFloof: Mako-chan is right! We’re happy that you loved our gifts!_

_Runnin’FromCops: Totally! We were super stoked pickin out gifts to get for ya!_

_BurnMyBread: Mhm! Shopping for you was super fun!_

_StarvingForArt: In my case, working with Haru was enjoyable to say the least. I’m sure we both had an amazing time putting our skills to good use. How did you like our exact replica of your Phantom Thief attire?_

_SumiEvergarden: I really loved it! I loved everyone’s presents! I can’t thank you guys enough!_

_BeneathTheMask: I hope you enjoyed it, love. I didn’t plan that date for nothing, y’know._

_SumiEvergarden: Hey!_

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Get a room you two! Oh wait, but isn’t that what you did last night?_

_SumiEvergarden: ..._

_BeneathTheMask: Futaba, you do realise where I am, right?_

_BurnMyBread: Uh oh..._

_Runnin’FromCops: Futaba, I’d recommend runnin’ right about now..._

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Time to make like a lightning storm and bolt!_

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent has gone offline_

_StarvingForArt: When will she learn to think before she speaks..._

Akira looked up from his phone and quickly scanned his surroundings for a little orange haired hacker that seems to have gone missing. He sighed briefly before returning to the group chat.

_FistOfThePhantomStar: She really never changes…_

_BurnMyBread: Well, that’s Futaba for you…_

_BeneathTheMask: If you’ll all excuse me, I have a little orange haired hacker to find and teach a lesson, so I’ll talk to you guys another time._

_BeneathTheMask has gone offline_

_RollOfFloof: Sumi-chan, keep Akira-kun in check for us, alright? I hope he doesn’t get himself into any trouble..._

_SumiEvergarden: Oh it’s not a problem, I’ll keep him in check for you all! Although I really doubt that Akira-senpai would do anything of the sort._

_FistOfThePhantomStar: Look out for him for us, alright Sumire?_

_SumiEvergarden: Of course!_

_StarvingForArt: In any case, I have a separate art piece to work on that will be going on display in 3 weeks time. I will see myself out._

_StarvingForArt has gone offline_

_Runnin’FromCops: I’ve got some track applications to fill out for when I start college, so I’ll talk with you guys some other time, yeah?_

_Runnin’FromCops has gone offline_

_BurnMyBread: How about we all close the conversation here? I’ve got a shoot that I need to get to in about 30 minutes, and I’m sure that Makoto and Haru have their own business to attend to._

_FistOfThePhantomStar: You wouldn’t be wrong about that._

_RollOfFloof: It’s the same for me too, sadly…_

_SumiEvergarden: I should probably get going too, I have a boyfriend to look for._

_BurnMyBread: Have fun you two! Don’t lose him, alright Sumire?_

_SumiEvergarden: I won’t! I promise!_

_SumiEvergarden, FistOfThePhantomStar, RollOfFloof and BurnMyBread have gone offline_

Sumire looked up from her phone to find that both her boyfriend and her orange haired friend were both missing from their original places. She giggled a little before getting out of her seat and heading upstairs. She sighed as she started packing up her belongings and her presents as she awaited for the sibling-like duo to make their return to the cafe.

_Take Your Time_

Sumire didn’t have to wait too long before the duo came back into the shop, panting a little but laughing. All her belongings had been neatly packed away in a backpack she had brought along to spend the night at Leblanc. She smiled at the two of them as Morgana watched from atop her shoulder, giggling as the two of them continued their friendly banter. Sojiro too watched the show unfold from behind the counter and only sighed in his usual tone before speaking up.

“Jeez, if you guys keep that up, you’re gonna drive away all my customers…”

Akira seemed as if he wanted to open his mouth to make a cheeky retort back at Sojiro, but decided to hold his tongue, instead choosing to walk over to where his girlfriend and Morgana were sitting at the counter, starting up a conversation.

“So, sweetheart, have you got any plans for lunch today?”

“Straight to the point I see, Mr. Kurusu. Are you asking me out?”

“Why, I do believe I am Ms. Yoshizawa. It's only natural that I’d ask someone like you out, as beautiful as you are. I couldn’t help but fall for you when we first met.”

That was all Sumire could handle before she started flushing red. “S-Senpai!”

“What? Did I stutter?” He asked with a smirk on his face, watching her turn away from his gaze in embarrassment. “You’re so cute, I could do this all day…”

“Akira! You’re gonna make her blush permanently if you keep up!” Futaba teased as Sumire tried to formulate a response, but to no avail, causing her to blush even more.

Sojiro noticed this, and could only smile to himself as he worked on his curry. “You kids should go for a meal. You’d get tired of my curry quick if you ate it daily, especially you, kid.”

“I could _never_ get tired of your curry, Boss!” Akira over-exaggerated as he dramatically put his hand to his head. “You think too lowly of the delicious food you make…”

“He’s not wrong Sojiro!” Futaba jumped in as Morgana and Sumire both nodded their heads. Sojiro looked at them in surprise, before noticing Futaba’s face light up. “Oooh! I know what I want to eat today! I won’t be joining in on your lunch date, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

Now it was Akira’s turn to be embarrassed as he turned away to try and hide the small blush forming on his face. 

“I was thinking of some good ol’ takoyaki! Y’know, like the ones we had at the school festival all those years ago?” Futaba recounted as she suddenly tried to stifle her laughter. “OH! Remember when Akechi ate the ‘special’ one? Pfft, hahaha! I nearly burst out into tears right then and there!” 

Morgana and Akira couldn’t help but join the orange-haired girl in her laughing fit as they all recalled the time when Akechi nearly burned the roof off his mouth after eating the ‘special’ takoyaki. Sumire only looked at them confused as the trio continued to laugh until their sides hurt.

“Senpai? What’s so funny about Akechi?”

“Oh right, you weren’t there when this happened! Let me tell you about the time when we had to gather intel for our infiltration of Sae’s palace…” 

By the time he finished his story, Sumire could barely hold it together and started giggling with the trio, each of them wiping tears from their eyes as they laughed it off for a few more minutes.

While the other three were laughing, Akira’s mind wandered to his times with Akechi, as memories of the time with his rival started to flash through his mind. Akira phased out for a few moments, before the voices of his friends brought him back to reality.

“Kid, you doing alright?” Sojiro looked at Akira, with a look of slight concern on his face.

“Yeah, Akira. You looked a little out of it. You feeling OK?” His feline friend asked, as he gracefully leapt onto his lap. “You might be hungry, I don’t think you’ve had anything since you’ve woken up this morning, have you?”

Right on cue, a stomach growl could be heard echoing through the store, yet Akira seemed as confused as anyone, looking around to find their suspect. He finally turned to see his girlfriend blushing as she started apologising.

“Sorry, that was me!” Sumire smiled with a light blush on her face. “I guess I’m a little hungry too. Can we get some lunch?”

“Seems like I’m not the only one that’s hungry!” Akira teased as his girlfriend blushed a light shade of red. “Should we head out for lunch Sumire? We can decide what to eat along the way.”

“That sounds good Senpai! Do you want to tag along, Morgana?”

Morgana got up and stretched, before nodding his head in response. “I wouldn’t want to interrupt your time together, but if you’re offering, I’d love something to eat too.”

Akira nodded his head. “It’s settled then. Let’s go for some lunch!”

The trio waved goodbye before walking out the doors of cafe Leblanc, On the way to the Yongen-Jaya subway station they began to think about what to have for lunch, as they soon boarded the train and made their way to Shibuya

_Take Your Time_

“Itadakimasu!”

The trio had wandered around Shibuya for a little before settling on a gyudon place that Akira used to frequent with Ryuji. Sumire and Akira both sat down and gave their orders, and waited a little bit before letting Morgana out of his bag for a stretch. Their food didn’t take too long to arrive, steaming hot as they stared at their bowls hungrily. Akira, being a normal growing boy, ordered the medium beef bowl, yet he would always be amazed when his girlfriend ordered a larger portion than his own, _AND_ she’d manage to finish it all! He looked at her large bowl, then at his smaller bowl, and sighed before digging in.

“Itadakimasu. Thank you for the food.”

“I still can’t believe that you can eat nearly twice as much as I do, and still be so slim. It just defies the laws of physics!”

“Well, I feel as though I can do anything when you’re by my side Akira-senpai!” Sumire gleamed at him as he felt his heart warm.

“Now I can’t tell if you’re making me blush, or if it’s because of the hot food…”

“Senpai!”

“Kidding, kidding. You know it’s you, sweetheart. I love you so much.” Akira laughed it off, ending it gracefully with five simple words that could always make Sumire’s heart melt.

“I love you too, Akira…”

“Hey, are you guys gonna dig in, or am I gonna get to eat my fish I _and_ your beef bowls?” Morgana sniggered as he was promptly smacked in the head playfully by Akira.

“We’re on a date Morgana, can’t we have a little bit of fun before we eat?”

Sumire blushed lightly as she nodded in agreement. “That tends to happen when Senpai and I get really into it. Sorry for making you wait, Morgana. Let's eat!"

The trio started to dig into their food in relative silence, with the occasional glances the couple would take at each other, breaking it soon after they both made eye contact as they continued to eat their food. Akira, having thought of something that he should probably ask Morgana, decided to ask his partner in crime a question to break the silence.

“So, Morgana…”

“What’s up Akira? Mmm! This fish is delicious! We need to come back here more often!”

“Was Futaba actively wiretapping Leblanc last night?”

“Ah Senpai,” Sumire started, before getting a brief nod from Akira. She hesitated, but let Akira take the lead. 

He smiled, and nodded again as he awaited for an answer from Morgana.

“You were probably being wiretapped, but we weren’t actively listening. Futaba was showing me a new game on her console, so she probably wasn’t paying attention either. Did something happen last night?” 

“Well, y’see…” Akira began, trailing off before taking a deep breath. “Doctor Maruki came over last night after everyone left.”

“Doc came over? Last night? Nothing bad happened, right?”

“No no, nothing of the sort. He actually came over to wish Sumire a happy birthday, and he got her a present too.”

“Akira’s right, Doctor Maruki was kind enough to get me a birthday present,” Sumire confirmed as she pulled out her cookbook from her bag of belongings. “He actually tried to visit my house, only to find out that I wasn’t home. It is kind of funny looking back on it, but he must’ve been so embarrassed when my parents told him that I wasn’t home.”

“Right.” Akira confirmed as he continued his retelling of the night before. “Although he had another motive to visit us at Leblanc last night.”

“What else could Doc want? It isn’t something to do with the Metaverse again, is it?” Morgana asked suspiciously. “Don’t tell me…”

“No no, it’s nothing involving cognitive psience or the Metaverse,” Akira quickly reassured his partner, recalling how he acted similarly the night before when Maruki approached him with these intentions. “That would be impossible now that it’s been permanently erased anyways.”

“That’s right! I nearly forgot for a brief second. So then why’d he approach Sumire? And how’d he know that you were back in Tokyo?”

“He texted me a few days back, sending me his greetings.” Akira recalled as he thought back to the day Doctor Maruki had gotten in contact with him, after never having exchanged many texts since he moved away. “As for how he knew I was back, I have no clue.”

“Doctor Maruki approached me to ask for my help in a new project that he’s working on!” Sumire answered Morgana’s question with a smile. “He’s planning to start a new, non-profit organisation dedicated to helping people that are dealing with, or have dealt with mental trauma previously.”

“That’s very noble of him,” Morgana noted, thinking for a moment, before it seemed like a lightbulb had lit in his head. “I see! So that’s why he approached Sumire!”

“You definitely catch on fast, Morgana!” Sumire exclaimed, impressed at the deductive abilities of her feline friend. “You’re absolutely right. Doctor Maruki thought it’d be wise to seek advice from me, considering what I’ve been through, and all…”

“That makes sense. I’d do the same thing in his shoes. You’re probably the best person he could reach out to when asking for advice, considering what you’ve been through and all…”

“Right. I’d definitely be willing to assist him in any way possible,” Sumire agreed optimistically, in-between spoonfuls of her gyudon. “Now that I think about it, this could be a great way to repay him for all he did for me when I was at my weakest…”

“That’s a good way to look at it, sweetheart.” complimented Akira with a nod of affirmation. 

“Yeah, he’s done so much for me, after all…” Sumire trailed off, as she started getting a little lost in thought before Morgana snapped her out of it.

“Hey, Sumire? Sumire!” Morgana meowed from the opposite end of the table. “Are you alright? You kinda zoned out a little…”

“You feeling okay, love?” Akira asked with slight concern in his voice. His girlfriend shook her head quickly before sending a smile over his way.

“I’m fine, don’t worry about it!” Sumire smiled as a look of relief filled her boyfriend’s face. “I do wonder if we should let the others know about this though…”

“I reckon we don’t need to tell them unless they explicitly ask about it, at least until the organisation is up and running, that is.” Akira expressed, thoughtfully. “I don’t think we need to add more to everyone’s plates, especially since the new school year is starting in less than a week.”

“Oh, right! You’re starting college, aren’t you Senpai?”

“Right. I’ll be starting at the University of Tokyo on the 2nd of April. You’re in Shujin for your last year, aren’t you?”

“I’m in the same class as Futaba this year!” Sumire happily exclaimed, as Akira felt a smile form on his face.“Looks like you both got lucky. At least you’ll have someone to talk to in class. Who’s your homeroom teacher?”

“Mr. Ushimaru…”

“Oh! Hahaha! Good luck with that!” Akira couldn’t help but chuckle as he remembered how much Ushimaru tormented him with his chalk throwing skills. “His chalk throwing isn’t to be underestimated.”

Morgana started cracking up too. “You’re one to talk, Akira! I still remember the days when you’d try to dodge his chalk and get hit every single time!”

Now it was Akira’s turn to get embarrassed, as he blushed a light shade of red, before attempting to pay Morgana back, but to no avail. Sumire watched the situation unfold and couldn’t help but giggle as she watched her boyfriend attempt to strangle his pet and his partner.

The rest of the meal was spent in idle chit-chat between the trio as they continued to finish up their beef bowls. 

Akira set his chopsticks down as he slammed his bowl on the table. “Now _that_ was a good beef bowl. How’s yours, Sumire?”

“Way ahead of you, Akira-senpai! I can definitely see why Ryuji-senpai likes to come here so often. They have some really good beef bowls!”

Morgana rubbed his mouth with his paw, as he purred in content. “That was some good fish! Definitely better than some of that canned stuff.”

Sumire took out her wallet, before getting waved off by Akira, as he looked at her and nodded. She sighed, and put her wallet back in her bag. “You’re too kind, Senpai…”

“Don’t worry, love. I have lots of cash anyways, ever since we started our… _thievery_.” Akira smirked as he whispered the last word only loud enough for the people at his table to hear. “Most of, if not all the money was entrusted to me anyways, since I was always the person buying equipment and things for the team.” 

“Yeah, he still has tons of money saved from our final mission.” Morgana added, as he hopped back into Akira’s bag. “Shall we make our move?”

“Right!”

_Take Your Time_

“You sure you don’t want me to walk you back home, sweetheart?” Akira teased as he watched his girlfriend squirm in embarrassment, smirking to himself. “I don’t want my love getting lost along the way! Think of all the things that could happen to a girl like yourself!”

“Akira-senpai!” blushed his girlfriend, as she held onto his hand a little tighter. “Please don’t say things like that in public… I’m embarrassed…”

“Maybe I like seeing you embarrassed?”

“Senpai!”

“Alright, alright, you know how much I love to tease you…” Akira smiled lightly at his girlfriend, and she smiled right back at him. “You’re too cute, I can’t help myself sometimes…”

“I love you, Akira…”

“I love you too, Sumi…”

“I’ll be fine on my way home, Senpai. Don’t worry.” Sumire reassured him as she slowly started to let go of his hand, leaning in for a quick kiss on the lips before breaking away. “Goodbye Senpai! Make sure you don’t forget about our date tomorrow!”

“Like I could ever do something like that.” Akira replied with a wave. “See you tomorrow!”

Akira watched his girlfriend turn and walk towards her home, off in a residential area on the outskirts of Shibuya, seeing her turn a corner and walk out of sight. He sighed dreamily before feeling some movement in his bag, a sign which he’d gotten used to by now from his partner in crime.

“Mreow! You didn’t even let me say goodbye?” Morgana sulked as the two of them headed back to the station. “And what was this about a date?”

“Sorry, buddy…” Akira apologised to his feline companion, making his way back to Central Street for a quick walk around town. “I didn’t think to let you out then and there, and then she kissed me, and I…”

“You got lost in the moment, didn’t you?”

“Yeah…”

“You can never think straight around her, can you?” Morgana smirked as he promptly received a playful hit on the head. “I’m only kidding!”

“So you say…” Akira blushed lightly, as he stopped in front of the bookshop he used to frequent, before shaking his head lightly and walking back towards the station square, where he used to spend his Sunday nights helping out Toranosuke Yoshida with his speeches. “Sorry, what were we talking about?”

“You have a date tomorrow with Sumire?”

Akira nodded. “Yeah, we’re headed to Maihama tomorrow. I’m hoping to spend some quality time with her before the school year starts back up.”

“Maihama, huh? That’s where Destinyland is…” Morgana said thoughtfully. “I won’t be joining you, of course. I’m a gentleman after all…”

“That’s your reason? I could’ve sworn that you weren’t too big a fan of roller coasters were you?” Akira smirked as he strolled past the small stand that he would get his weekly aojiru from, having slight flashbacks to his days he would spend 5000 yen on a single drink weekly, and the disgusting flavors that he would experience along with the feeling of a slightly larger hole in his wallet. He shuddered as he tapped in for the train ride back to Yongen-Jaya.

Judging from a lack of response, it seemed that he had caught Morgana in his lie, as Akira smirked to himself, relaxing on the platform as he waited for his train to arrive.

_Take Your Time_

“Ah, you’re back,” Sojiro greeted Akira as he walked through the cafe door, the bells chiming above his head. “How’s Sumire? You _did_ walk her home, right?”

“Of course I did. What kind of guy do you think I am, Boss?” Akira asked, feigning agony as Sojiro merely shook his head.

“You never change, do you kid…”

Akira only laughed in response, before he walked upstairs and let Morgana out of his bag. He stretched briefly and jumped off the small table and onto the bed and struck up a conversation.

“So, like I was saying before, I won’t be joining the two of you, so I’ll be staying with Futaba for the day.”

“Are you sure it’s not because you’re scared of roller coasters?”

“N-No! Not at all! I wouldn’t be s-scared of those… fast turning carts… and high drops…” Morgana stuttered as he looked up to see Akira with a smile on his face. 

“It’s okay Morgana. People have fears, and it isn’t right to judge people on what they can’t control.” Akira comforted his feline friend, as he started stroking his fur. 

“Akira…”

“Hm? What is it Morgana?”

“Thank you...”

“Where did this come from all of a sudden?”

“No matter what any of us go through, you’re always willing to sit with us and talk it out to help us calm down. You’re a great friend, and an even greater partner. Please… continue to take care of me, and the rest of the team...” Morgana muttered the last part to where it was just barely audible enough for Akira to hear. 

He simply nodded, and gave a response that only Akira could. “Of course. I try my best. I simply care about my friends, after all.”

“S-So! Anyways… Enjoy it you two…” Morgana finished as he jumped off the table and seemingly decided to head out for a walk.

“Thank you my friend. We will, no doubt about it...” Akira silently promised, as he laid on his bed, hoping to get some rest.

_Take Your Time_

The sound of billiard balls knocking against each other on the table in front of him knocked Akira out of his trance-like state, as he shook his head slightly to clear his blurry vision. He was back in Penguin Sniper, this time only spectating the few games of billiards that were being played across the few tables that were set up, allowing the customers to unwind and relax themselves. Akira sighed, and got off his chair, walking over to the counter where the ever friendly host greeted him in his usual way.

“Back again so soon? What’ll it be this time, champ?”

“Two games of solo darts, please.”

“Of course. That’ll be 800 Yen.”

Akira paid for his game of darts, taking out his own dart set he bought from the underground mall’s sport shop to help enhance his accuracy, and went over to one of the few DARTSLIVE boards they had set up at the back of the place. Starting with a setting of 701, he went for the most efficient strategy to start whittling away at the points, and considering the fact that he was playing for two people, he threw three darts at a time, before retrieving and ‘passing the baton to his partner’. The first three shots sank into the same pockets, landing on the triple 20’s, resulting in 60 points for each throw, when he suddenly had an urge to show off a little, landing the next three shots in the bullseye. 

**Take Your Time**

_“A game of darts, you say?”_

_Akira was inside Penguin Sniper and calling up Akechi for a game of darts, hoping that by playing together, they would increase their synergy in battles, allowing for stronger Showtime moves and more synergy overall while working together to defeat Maruki’s palace._

_“Right. I thought that we might be able to bond a little, and improve our teamwork by doing so.”_

_“You never cease to surprise me with what you come up with for ‘improvement’. But, that being said, I can’t deny that every time we’ve done something like this, we always seem to have gotten better in battle. I’ll be over soon enough.”_

_“Thank you Akechi. I’ll see you later.”_

_Some time later, Akechi walked through the small doorway to enter Penguin Sniper, signalling to the host greeting him that he was with Akira, as he walked over and placed his belongings down on a nearby table._

_“Now then, are you ready? I don’t plan on holding back, so let’s set ourselves a good challenge. Let’s play 701. It’ll be more fun that way.”_

_“I’ll take the lead then.”_

_The darts echoed their score out loud as Akira threw them with expert precision, aiming for the triple 20’s, whittling the score down the score even more than he would with three bulls._

_“So that’s how you play… Hmph… Watch and learn.”_

_Akechi smirked as he tagged in for Akira, throwing his three darts into the center piece, landing him three bulls in a row. Akira made no visible signs of annoyance, as he calmed his inner self down with a deep breath, before subbing back in with Akechi._

_“Your turn. Better pay attention.”_

_Akira smirked as he threw another perfect 180, bringing the total down to 191. Akechi gave him a look of interest, raising his eyebrow, but ultimately saying nothing as he tagged back in for his final turn._

_“So, I’ve reached my final round. I’ll pull this off without a hitch.”_

_Akechi stepped up and went for another triple bull round, decreasing the total to 41._

_“I’d focus if I were you. If you mess up here, it’d look bad for the both of us.”_

_Subbing back in, Akira nodded and took a deep breath to help him focus.He threw his first dart at the double 20, and then his second dart just to the right of that section, hitting a 1, and closing out the game with a perfect score._

_“That finishes it. 0 points. Not a bad result I must say.” Akechi said with his signature smile. “I suppose I do feel as if we are more coordinated as a team. Now, shall we get going? I’d like to get a drink with you if you’re up for it.”_

_“Right. Let’s move.”_

**Take Your Time**

Akira focused as he threw his last shot at the 1 section, finishing the second game in a row with a perfect score. He sighed to himself, packing up his darts silently before walking down the stairs without much of a goodbye to the host, with the exception of a single wave. Akira made his way over to the Jazz Jin that Akechi had brought him to multiple times before.

_Akechi..._

Akira shook the thought off as he walked in and ordered a drink from the usual bartender. He nodded and walked behind the bar, starting to prepare Akira’s usual drink. Akira stared mindlessly at the bartop, sorting through his thoughts of the next few days, including his date with Sumire and starting fresh in the University of Tokyo. He was soon snapped out of his dazed state when he noticed the singer that was booked for the club tonight had walked on stage. Reminiscing of a time not too long ago, he then drifted back into thought.

**_“People come and they go…”_ **

**_“Some people may stay with you though…”_ **

_Akira took a sip of his drink as he and Akechi struck idle conversation in the seemingly empty Jazz Jin. A recording of the usual singer was playing, and the bartender had seemingly gone to the back to check on some issue. Akira looked around the quiet place as he took another sip of his soft drink._

_“How do you find this place? I personally really enjoy the quiet ambience and the relaxing atmosphere.” Akechi asked politely. “The music they play here might not appeal to everyone, but…”_

_“I like it. It’s a great place,” He replied honestly. “The selection of jazz songs they choose to play here is relaxing to the body and soul. I can see why you’d like to come here to unwind after a long day of work.”_

_“_ **_I am all alone tonight, and I…”_ **

**_“Keep on asking myself questions…”_ **

_“I’m glad to hear you say that,” Akechi gave him a genuine smile. “Work and other obligations take me to quite a few restaurants and cafes, but this place is a little more special to me…”_

_“Your go-to place, right?” Akira finished, as Akechi turned to him in surprise._

_“Well, I assume that if you think the same way I do, you’d have one as well. Would I be correct in assuming so?”_

_“Yeah. A place where I used to unwind, throwing both caution and thought to the wind…” Akira reminisced bittersweetly, taking a larger sip of his soft-drink. “A place in my previous home town...”_

_“_ **_Conceited I was, at the time…”_ **

**_“I never really, doubted myself…”_ **

_“Ah, I’m sorry. Did I strike a nerve somewhere?”_

_“No no, not at all…”_

_Akira began explaining his situation and circumstances to Akechi while he listened in shock, growing more and more invested as the story went on, until eventually Akechi had to voice his thoughts._

_“So you came to Tokyo on your own, and now you live in a cafe loft because of a seemingly false charge from a drunken man…” Akechi thought out loud, leaning forward with a look of intrigue._

**_“But tonight got me thinking ‘bout it all…”_ **

**_“If I am the fool or what not…”_ **

_“That sounds about right. It’s no big deal anymore, I’ve learned to get used to it.” Akira shrugged as Akechi couldn’t help but let a look of surprise appear on his face._

_“You seem to be taking the situation quite well. You’re a person with a strong sense of_ **_Justice_ ** _. I’m surprised to hear that you seemed to show no sign of wanting the charge revoked.”_

_Akira shrugged yet again, taking another sip from his half-filled glass before replying. “The guy that charged me had power over the police and the court. There was simply nothing that could be done…”_

_“_ **_I do not…”_ **

**_“Regret with my choices, I am rather proud…”_ **

_“That is rather unfortunate.” Akechi sighed in dismay as he leaned back in his chair. “Regardless of your situation, I’m quite envious. You seem to be stocked up on both coffee and curry.”_

_“Do you cook?” Akira asked a little enthusiastically. Akechi looked slightly taken aback, seeing Akira light up suddenly with a change of topic. He decided not to push on it and simply answer the question._

**_“Ooh, yet I know I won’t change…"_**

**_“Anything…"_**

**_“Because I can only be me, so…”_ **

_“I live alone myself, I rarely have the time to cook my own meals…” Akechi said, sounding ever so slightly dejected. “I’m deducing by your eager response to my observation, you do some cooking yourself?”_

_“I do. I’ve mostly been learning from my guardian, he’s been teaching me coffee brewing and the recipe to his homemade curry. He may come off as rude, but deep down he’s very kind-hearted.”_

_“That’s rather impressive. I don’t have much experience myself. My attempts to cook, especially in my culinary class, have been underwhelming, to say the least.” Akechi chuckled lightly._

**_“How can I be so sure…?”_ **

**_“And at crossroads, I’m afraid too...”_ **

_“Now that I think about it… You’re the first person that I’ve ever brought here.”_

_“That’s quite a surprise.”_

_“It’s not like I was keeping it from anyone, but… I suppose it goes to show we do share some sort of strange connection.”_

_“You wouldn’t be wrong about that...”_

**_“But I can’t let fear get the best of me…”_ **

**_“Someone once said burn my dread, babe…”_ **

“A strange connection…” Akira muttered to himself before finishing up the last of his drink. Looking around, there were still many others watching the live performance and enjoying the beautiful voice of the singer and enjoying their drinks. Soon after finishing his drink, Akira asked for the bill and took out his wallet, before attempting to start a conversation with the bartender.

**_“Who knows what tomorrow holds...?”_ **

**_“Just wanna live my life the way I want”_ **

“‘Proof of Justice?’ I have no clue…” The bartender responded much to Akira’s dismay. “Sorry I can’t be of any help.”

“It’s fine, don’t burden yourself with it.” Akira sighed regretfully. “It’s just been a really… _long time_ since I’ve seen Akechi. I wanted to dig up what I could of our old memories together, and this was a place we used to frequent…”

**_“What fills up my soul is passionate…”_ **

**_“Music that makes me want to sing…”_ **

“I definitely remember the times when the two of you would walk in after a billiards match or an intense arcade session. You two seemed pretty close.” The bartender commented as he started washing up a few leftover glasses in the sink. “I probably will never know Akechi as more than a regular, but it did seem that he always wanted to take matters into his own hands…”

“That he did…” Akira muttered under his breath as he shook his head. “Thank you for your time. I enjoyed the drink.”

**_“My story will be starring me just like yours.”_ **

**_“Who knows when will it end…”_ **

**_“What matters most is how you bring joy to life so...”_ **

Leaving what he owed on the table, he thanked the bartender and applauded the singer for her performance before heading out into the nightly spring air, making his way back home for the night.

_Take Your Time_

_“Yongen-Jaya. This is Yongen-Jaya.”_

Akira prepared himself to step off the train silently, waiting for the carriage to come to a halt at the station before heading out and into the spring air once again. He slowly made his way back to cafe Leblanc, as he paused outside for a brief second.

 _Akechi…_

Akira took a deep breath and cleared his mind, unlocking the door to the cafe. The aroma of fresh coffee hit his nose as he walked up the stairs, signalling that Sojiro had only just closed up shop. Judging by a lack of sound anywhere in the cafe, and that the lights upstairs weren’t turned on…

“Morgana probably followed Sojiro back home…” Akira muttered to no one in particular, turning on the lights to his room. He sighed quietly before getting himself into more comfortable clothing as he started to yawn. After taking care of his nightly duties, he turned off the light and made his way over to his bed, attempting to relax and get some sleep.

_*PI* *PI* *PI*_

_*PI* *PI* *PI*_

Akira held his hands to his head. “Who could be calling me at this time of night…?”

Not noticing the Caller ID, he picked up the phone with a slightly annoyed tone. “Who is it?”

A light and gentle voice he knew too well responded in a slightly hurt manner. _“Oh… I’m sorry Senpai, did I wake you?”_

“It’s fine, Sumi…” Akira yawned, wiping the water forming in his eyes. “What is it, sweetheart?”

 _“I just wanted to make sure you still remember our date tomorrow! You’re gonna be bringing me around Destinyland, so you’d better not be late, alright?”_ Sumire inquired eagerly over the phone.

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Any time with you is time well spent.” Akira said smoothly. “I’d love to be your official tour guide, Ms Yoshizawa.”

_“Right, Mr Kurusu. I’ll see you at Shibuya station at 7AM sharp!”_

“7AM sharp. I’ll make sure to arrive 10 minutes early just to surprise _you_.” 

_“S-Senpai!”_

“Goodnight, love. Sleep tight!” Akira smirked as he awaited her answer, knowing full well that she was blushing a dark shade of crimson.

_“G-Goodnight Senpai…” Sumire tripped over her words as she struggled to deal with the teasing. “I love you…”_

“I love you too, sweetheart. Goodnight…” Akira smiled gently as he ended his phone call.

Feeling much more content and rather relaxed on his bed, Akira soon fell asleep, with thoughts of his date tomorrow, and the night he had spent in Kichijoji still fresh in his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Exams and college assignments have kinda consumed my life for near the past 2 months, so I apologize about the long delay, although I can't guarantee that there won't be more of it coming. I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter, and I might have the next one up in a week or two.  
> Special thanks to Tharon (RainyDays Sunset Hours) for proofreading my story, and you should check out his work too. https://archiveofourown.org/series/1825528


	10. The Destiny of a Fool and His Faith (Part 1)

Akira woke up early the next morning and groggily turned his alarm off, pulling his pillow over his face hoping to catch a little more sleep. Those thoughts were interrupted by his second alarm going off with what seemed to be a louder course of annoying sounds, as he sighed and turned it off. Slightly cursing his past self for making him lose sleep, he then remembered why he’d woken up early in the first place.

He was bringing Sumire to Destinyland today!

Looking at the time, he realised that he still had quite a good while before needing to be at Shibuya station to meet his girlfriend. Akira smiled to himself and walked over to the stairs, heading down and turning on the lights. Grabbing a bag of Salvadoran Pacamara off the bean shelf, he started to prepare his daily cup of coffee.

“It’s early, so Futaba and Morgana are probably still fast asleep…” Akira muttered to himself, checking his phone. “I wonder if anyone’s up at this time…”

Akira took a glance at the fridge before turning back to his roast, making sure to be careful, fearing that he might go too harsh on the roast, as had happened multiple times before when practicing with Sojiro. Deciding against making a plate of curry for breakfast, he patiently waited for the hot water to boil while scrolling through his recent IMs.Noticing that his best friend was online a little earlier than he’d expected, he decided to shoot him a quick text.

_Private Message (Runnin’FromCops and BeneathTheMask)_

_BeneathTheMask: Hey Ryuji, whatcha doin’ up so early in the morning? Don’t you usually sleep in later, especially on school breaks?_

_Runnin’FromCops: Mornin’ Akira! I’m just up early today for a run to stretch my legs a little, I’ve been having trouble sleepin’ recently, so I thought by trying things the old fashioned way, I might be able to do somethin’ about it!_

_BeneathTheMask: Sounds just like you Ryuji._

_Runnin’FromCops: I know, right?! But hey, you’re up pretty early too. Got something planned for today? Something with Sumire maybe?_

Akira went a little red, wondering how Ryuji knew what he had planned for today. Taking some time to think of a vague enough reply to throw him off, he took the kettle off the heat and started to pour out a cup of coffee.

_BeneathTheMask: Maybeee. :)_

_Runnin’FromCops: Argh dude, you’re no fun._

He smirked at Ryuji’s response as he took a sip from his coffee, tasting the rich blend and slight chocolaty flavor, before returning to give Ryuji a playful reply.

_BeneathTheMask: If you’re that curious, go ask her yourself. You won’t get anything out of me, that’s for sure. ;)_

_Runnin’FromCops: Fineee. Be that way, yeesh. Anyways I’m gonna start my run. Have fun on your date man!_

_Runnin’FromCops has gone offline_

Akira could only shake his head with a smile as he turned to the grandfather clock in the corner of the cafe. Squinting his eyes, he could just barely make out the minute hand pointed straight down, signalling to the ex-leader of the Phantom Thieves that it was time to make his move. Akira downed the rest of his coffee and changed into his casual clothes before making his way out of Leblanc, excited for the day to come.

_Take Your Time_

_“Shibuya. This is_ _Shibuya.”_

The train doors opened in front of him, as Akira quickly stepped out of the train, following the large crowd outside to the station square. Taking a quick look at his phone to check the time, he noted that he was still about 20 minutes earlier than the designated meeting time he had arranged with his girlfriend. Akira, looking for something to kill some time, took out his phone and soon found himself on the official Destinyland website, planning his ‘infiltration route’, so to speak, of the theme park that he planned to explore with his girlfriend. Before long, he was so engrossed with planning out their path that he didn’t notice a certain redhead sneaking up behind him with an excited smile on her face.

Sumire smiled at the rare opportunity, hardly ever having the chance to catch her boyfriend off guard, as she snuck up behind him, and attempted to give him a good scare.

“Konnichi… WA!” 

Akira stumbled forward slightly in surprise as he quickly turned around and got into a defensive position, before noticing Sumire standing in front of him rocking a sky blue hoodie, giggling her heart out. “Sumire! How did you-”

“Surprised, Senpai?” Sumire struck a cute pose for him while holding in her laughter with a smile. “For the ex-leader of the Phantom Thieves, I’d have expected a lot better from you.”

“Hey! No fair!” Akira argued to no avail, as he watched his girlfriend explode in full on laughter, tempting him to join in on her giggling fit as well. “Well, I guess I was too focused on what I was doing…”

“I win this one, Akira! This is payback for that time in Hawaii where you didn’t get scared at all, _and_ the one two days ago where you got the jump on me!” Sumire smirked victoriously. “Now that I know how to catch you off guard, you won’t stand a chance!”

“You’ve gotten a lot better, I’ll give you that, but you won’t get me next time!” 

“Oh we’ll see about that!”

“It’s on!”

Akira noticed the competitive spirit in Sumire’s eyes, smiling a little to himself as he pulled her in for a brief hug, and separated soon after.

“I love you, Sumire...”

“I love you too, Akira…”

“Now, we have a full day ahead of us, and many attractions to visit. Shall we move, Violet?”

“Right. Let’s go, Joker!”

_Take Your Time_

“ _Shimbashi. This is Shimbashi.”_

Akira and Sumire stepped out of the train, and were followed by numerous other passengers as they made their way over to the Ueno-Tokyo line, the first out of two transfers. Luckily for the energetic couple, the walk wasn’t very long as they quickly found the dark shade of purple indicating their designated line, and as luck would have it, they _barely_ missed the last train by a couple of seconds.

_“The next train has been slightly delayed, and will arrive in ten minutes. We apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.”_

“I can’t believe we missed the train by _that_ much…” Akira grumbled, making a tiny gap between his pointer finger and his thumb. “We nearly had it too…”

“Don’t worry so much Akira. We still have plenty of time.” Sumire comforted, giving her boyfriend a pat on the head. “I’m sure the next one will be here before we know it.”

Managing to find a seat in the station, the boyfriend-girlfriend duo decided to sit next to each other. Before long, Sumire leaned her head on Akira’s shoulder lovingly, as Akira started playing with her hair. 

“I see that you’re wearing the blue ribbon that Ann got for you. How do you like it?”

“I absolutely love it Senpai! It’s a complete contrast to my hair, and it goes well with the blue dress I have at home too! Ann really has a good eye for fashionable stuff.”

“Well that _does_ make sense, with her being a model and all. Are those new earrings as well? I really like them.”

“O-Oh, you do?” 

Akira nodded his head in affirmation as Sumire blushed a light shade of pink before muttering her thanks.

“You’re wearing your glasses too? That’s a surprise if anything. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you tie your hair up _and_ wear glasses.”

“Well, I know a certain _someone_ loves seeing me in my glasses, so I thought I’d try out something new!” Sumire teased as she struck a pose for her boyfriend. “What do you think?”

“You… look stunning…” Admired Akira as he was rendered near speechless at the sight of his girlfriend.

“Really? I’m happy!” Sumire sighed in relief.

“And look, now we’re matching with our glasses!”

“Stop kidding yourself Senpai, you don’t really need those glasses now, do you?”

“H-Hey! I like wearing them!”

The two of them chuckled as they continued their little exchange, teasing each other back and forth for a good while before settling down quietly next to each other again. After a few moments of silence, Sumire was the first to start another conversation.

“Senpai?”

“Hm? What is it Sumire?”

“You’ve… been to Destinyland before, right?” Sumire continued to whisper as Akira tilted his head in curiosity. 

“Yeah, I’ve been twice, both times with my parents. Oh, and once more with the team, during which we were supposed to celebrate our takedown of President Okumura. I still actively try to block that memory out though...”

“Oh, I see…” Sumire seemed slightly crestfallen.

“Is something wrong, love?” Akira asked in concern, pulling her into a slight hug. “Remember, you can talk to me if you have anything on your mind. I’m always willing to listen.”

“Thank you, Akira…” Sumire reciprocated the hug, as she wiped a single tear from her eye. “I just wish Kasumi was still with us… I promised her… that we’d visit Destinyland together one day… and that we’d celebrate together, as a family...”

“Oh… I see…” Akira responded, empathetically. He knew that Sumire still had problems when it came to talking about her sister, and finding the right words to say to calm soothe her was never an easy task. “I’m sorry…”

“No… it’s fine…” Sumire said, forming a brave smile through the tears. “Kasumi would want us to enjoy ourselves today. She’ll be watching down on us with a smile, and I know for a fact that she’d be happy knowing that we’re keeping her in mind all throughout today.”

“Right. That’s a great way to look at it, sweetheart.” Akira nodded, as he gave her a reassuring smile. “We’ll enjoy today to the fullest, with Kasumi in mind.”

“You always know just what to say, Senpai…” Sumire shed a few more tears, burying her face in Akira’s chest, as Akira could only let out a gentle smile full of compassion and empathy. Patting his girlfriend on the head and stroking her hair gently, he let her cry out the tears she had, until eventually she stopped and sniffled a little.

“Feeling better, love?” Akira spoke softly, as she slowly nodded her head. “I’m glad… Let’s make sure we enjoy the entirety of our day, alright?”

“You’re right, Akira. We’ll enjoy our date together not only for ourselves, but for Kasumi too. She’ll always be with me and you, taking care of the two of us.” Sumire agreed with a smile. Akira sensed a strong resolve from within Sumire, continuing to cuddle with his Faith arcana, and his lover, until the next train arrived.

_Take Your Time_

_“Maihama. This is Maihama. The doors will open on the left.”_

“This is our stop, Senpai!” Sumire eagerly exclaimed as they followed several other people onto the platform. The chilly spring wind blew by, causing the couple to shiver a little, before Sumi instinctively pulled Akira close for warmth. “It’s a little cold today, isn’t it?”

“I’ll be happy to share my warmth with you, love…” Akira said, as they walked out of the station, standing as close to each other as possible for warmth. “Shall we?”

“Right behind you!”

The boyfriend and girlfriend duo took a quick right turn after exiting the station, following the signs that pointed them towards their final destination, as they started their walk from Maihama station, admiring the well kept scenery and landmarks along the way. 

“Look Akira! You can see the entrance of the park from here!” Sumire gushed in excitement, running to the side of the elevated walkway and leaning over the railing. Akira could only stand back at a distance and smile, remembering how he himself had reacted when being brought to Destinyland for his very first visit.

_“Look Mom! You can see the entrance to Destinyland from here!” A young Akira called out to his Mother. “Can we go on all the rides? Pleaseee?”_

_“Only if you’re tall enough, sweetie,” His mother replied with a gentle smile. “And we’ll get you all the churros you want!”_

_“Your mom’s right, Akira. Today’s a special day, so let’s all enjoy it to the fullest.” His father boomed with a rough smile, as he ruffled Akira’s messy hair._

“Senpai? Senpaiii! Are you alright?”

Akira was forced out of reminiscence by a cute voice calling his name, as he quickly shook his head and pulled her into a hug. “You were just like me when I first visited Destinyland…”

“Well, I guess people do say that Destinyland brings out your inner child for the day. I can’t wait!” Sumire ran ahead, leaving Akira in the dust, groaning, before attempting to catch up to her.

“Hey! Wait for me!”

_Take Your Time_

“So, that’ll be two Junior tickets. Your total is 13800 Yen.”

Akira reached for his wallet, before getting blocked by Sumire, who immediately handed the cash over to the worker behind the glass. Akira could only sigh, as Sumire smirked triumphantly.

“Sorry Akira, but you’ve been paying for too many of our dates. Let me get this one.”

The lady behind the counter let out a light chuckle as she gave them a genuine smile. “My, are you two dating? You two seem perfect together! 

Sumire and Akira blushed lightly, as they slightly averted eye contact for a little while, as Sumire whispered a thank you.

“You remind me of myself when I was at your age!” She responded joyfully, handing Sumire the tickets, as she reached her hand out to take them. “Enjoy your date today! Oh, and personally I recommend going for the Hooh’s Hunny Hunt’s Acceleration Pass first, because those always seem to run out somewhere in the afternoon, much earlier than the other rides.”

“Thank you very much!” Sumire graciously thanked the lady, as she passed a ticket to her boyfriend, quickly making their way to the ticket scanning machine, attempting to beat the long queues that would form later in the morning. To their surprise, there wasn’t much of a queue at all, as the two of them only needed to wait a couple of minutes before managing to enter the fabled Tokyo Destinyland.

Loud and cheery music greeted the couple’s ears as they walked further into the World Bazaar, as the two of them delightfully hummed along to the song’s familiar beat. Akira grabbed a map that was offered near the entrance as he began to quickly scan and locate Fantasyland.

“You certainly know what you’re doing, Senpai!” Sumire admired, as she looked over his shoulder at the map, impressed at the layout and the sheer size of the park. “The lady told us to go for Hooh’s Hunny Hunt first right? Where is it on the map?”

“Hooh’s Hunny Hunt… Where is it…” Akira muttered, his eyes darting quickly around the map as he found the allocated number on the legend and the area it was in. “It’s to the very right of Fantasyland. We should be able to make it there if we continue straight ahead and make a sharp right.”

“On it, Senpai! Let’s get there quick!”

The two of them slightly increased their walking pace, only stopping to admire the amazing architectural design of the World Bazaar before walking into the centre area of the park, where every main area was visible. The breathtaking sight of the landmarks around them stopped Sumire in her tracks, as she paused to take a look around at all the distinguishable places and sections around Destinyland.

“Wow… Senpai, the view’s amazing from here! You can see the entire park!” Sumire exclaimed in awe as she beckoned him to walk right into the middle area. “This feels so surreal!”

“Enjoying the view? I could give you a ride on my shoulders if you want.” Akira teased, winking at her, as she blushed and turned away. 

“M-Maybe later, Akira-senpai…” Sumire stuttered, flushing a light shade of red. “Maybe during the fireworks...”

“I’m not hearing a no~!” 

“Senpai!” Sumire playfully gave him a slap on the back of the head, as he yelped slightly and grabbed her hand on instinct with a light grip.

“So? What will it be then? Yes or no? I’m only taking one answer~!” Akira continued his assault as his girlfriend flushed a darker shade of crimson.

“Y-Yes, Senpai… I’d love you to…” Sumire whispered close to his ear. 

Akira slowly let go of her hand and brought her in for a quick kiss. “I’m happy to hear that sweetheart. Now let’s make our way over to Fantasyland before we lose priority on our Acceleration Passes.”

“Right behind you Senpai!”

Sumire ran over to Akira, as he gracefully offered his hand to his girlfriend. Sumire took it with a smile, snuggling close to him and leaning her head on his shoulder as they walked through Cinderella’s castle, making their way to Fantasyland.

Hastily making their way over to the Acceleration Pass dispensers, Akira quickly asked Sumire for her entrance ticket, to which she happily complied as they got into a line. Not having to wait long, they quickly scanned their tickets and managed to score an Acceleration Pass valid between 9:30 to 10:30. Akira handed Sumire her ticket back, along with the newly acquired Acceleration Pass.

“Looks like we’re gonna have to wait a little before we get to experience Hooh’s Hunny Hunt...” Akira noted, as Sumire lit up in excitement.

“We can use this time to queue for another ride!” Sumire tugged on his arm, pulling him out of the way of the next person in line. “What do you recommend Senpai?”

“Hmm…” Akira mused as he opened up the map, looking around the various areas of the park. “How about we head to Tomorrowland? We could probably catch a ride on Galaxy Mountain if we’re fast enough.”

“Lead the way, _Joker_!” Sumire teased, doing a small curtsey.

“After you, dear Violet…” Akira smirked, before breaking into a giggling fit. His girlfriend couldn’t help but join in as the two of them laughed away, making their way over to Tomorrowland. 

A town with a futuristic design greeted them as they walked past Toontown, with Sumire stopping to admire the scenery and famous landmarks. Soon the boyfriend-girlfriend duo made their way over to the start of the line for Galaxy Mountain, as they checked the estimated time it would take to beat the queue in front of them. Surprisingly, the time was only at…

“ _10 minutes?!_ ” Akira yelped in disbelief, tugging on his lover’s arm a little harder. “There is _no_ way the queue timer is _only_ 10 minutes! We need to take advantage of this.”

“Right Senpai! We got really lucky, huh?”

“Definitely! Let’s go quick!”

Quickly stuffing their belongings into a nearby rental locker, the two of them hurried along the long and winding tunnels leading up to the Galaxy Mountain ride. Before long, they finally came to a stop a little outside the main boarding area. Sensing that they still had a little time left before they would get to ride, Sumire started up a conversation.

“Senpai?”

“What is it, sweetheart? _Don’t tell me you wanna back out?_ ” Akira mocked in a teasing manner, as he watched his girlfriend pout a little in angriness, smiling in content.

“No, I would never Senpai! You should know this better than anyone!” Sumire retorted playfully, with a light blush on her cheeks, as she shyly grabbed his arm. “I just wanted to know if we could sit together...”

“Of course I will, silly… it’s two per row, of course we’re sitting together!” Akira comforted her, patting his girlfriend’s head lightly. “Did you really have to ask? Who else would sit next to you?”

“O-Oh… so we _can_ sit together?” Sumire stammered, with a hopeful look in her eyes, staring up at her boyfriend.

“Of course, Sumire. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The two of them followed the queue of people along the dark and dimly lit corridors of the Galaxy Mountain ride, inching closer and closer to the boarding station until they were at the very front of the line, the ride maintainer closing the gates right as they walked up.

“Awww… I guess this means we’ll get to sit at the very front!” Sumire whispered excitedly to Akira, as he gave her a nod of confirmation.

“Yep, looks like we’re getting the best seat for the ride, sweetheart. How good are you with roller coasters?”

“I’ve only ever been on a few since I was little, but I do remember I used to love them when I was younger! Kasumi used to love them too…”

Akira tensed up, as he saw his girlfriend visibly sadden a little, before reaching out to give her a hug, attempting to comfort her a little before the next car pulled up to the boarding station. “Remember, we’re enjoying today for you, me, and Kasumi, alright? She’s always with us in spirit, and I’m sure she’d want us to enjoy ourselves today as much as we can.”

“Yeah, you’re right Akira… I just can’t help but wish she was here with us…”

That line of thought was soon interrupted as the next car pulled into the boarding station, and Akira noticed an immediate change of emotion on Sumire’s face, much to his surprise. He decided not to push the topic any further, only wanting to fully enjoy his date with Sumire to the fullest, as the two of them were soon let into the coaster car’s tight seating area. Akira swiftly pulled the safety bar downwards, locking it into place, as he cheekily wrapped his arm around his girlfriend before giving her a light kiss on the cheek.

“Akira!” Sumire blushed a little, as her boyfriend recalled and moved back into his own seat with a smile.

“Sorry… couldn’t help myself.” 

The coaster train jerked forward slightly without warning, with the staff manning the station waving goodbye as the cars pulled out of the station. They soon entered a dimly lit tunnel with flashing blue lights while the train began to slowly increase in speed. The further they went, the darker it became and as the cars turned the last corner, the tunnel was completely dark. 

“Uhh… Akira? We’re not supposed to be able to see, right?” Sumire whispered, a little concerned as the train started its first and slow accent of the journey. 

“Nope, although I do recommend keeping your eyes open for the ride though, the small visuals are my favorite part.”

“What do you mean, Senpai?”

“You’ll see. We should be reaching the end of the ascent right about......now.” 

Right on cue, a downwards slope awaited the couple as the coaster rushed into a large, dark area, surrounded by star-like lights. Feeling the ride start to accelerate even more, Akira let his hands naturally rise above his head, and let out a few excited screams, prompting his girlfriend to do the same.

“Akiraaaa!”

“Put your hands up and scream Sumire! This is what roller coasters are all about! YEAH!”

“Wooohooo!”

After many sharp twists and turns, the ride finally pulled back into the station with a screech as the breaks were forced down, bringing the train to a complete stop.up Akira lifted the safety bar slowly as the two of them quickly got out, allowing the people in the queue behind them to take their seats. Making their way out, Sumire decided to break the silence.

“That. Was. So. Awesome! I loved everything about that ride!” Sumire exclaimed in glee as they made their way outside. “The stars were really pretty too!”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it, sweetheart. Galaxy Mountain is definitely one of my favorites.” Akira smiled, pulling her close as he checked the time. “That honestly didn’t kill as much time as I thought it would… Do you wanna do something else?”

Right after Akira finished his sentence, a slight rumble and a growl could be heard coming from Sumire’s general direction, as she blushed slightly and giggled.

“Sorry! I haven’t eaten anything yet, so I’m a little hungry… Could we get something to eat?”

“Of course, I’m a little hungry myself. We’ll stop by one of the restaurants before we head over to Hooh’s Hunny Hunt, seeing as we still have a good bit of time. Most people wouldn’t be eating at this hour anyways.” Akira said thoughtfully, opening up the map to have a quick look at the various Destinyland themed eateries around the theme park. “What do you feel like eating, sweetheart? They have nearly everything here, from light snacks, to heavy meals.”

“Oooh! This place has sandwiches shaped like Mikey Mouse! And it’s right around the corner! Can we go? Pleeeease?” Sumire pleaded using her puppy-dog eyes, as Akira sighed with a smile, nodding his head.

“I have no reason to say no! I’m honestly eager to try their sandwiches as well. Shall we, darling?”

“D-Darling?!” Sumire recoiled in surprise, as she let go of Akira’s hand, blushing a light shade of crimson. “S-Since when have I b-been your darling?”

Akira could only chuckle as he gave the most cheeky reply possible. “You always have been, love.”

_Take Your Time_

“Mmm! Those sandwiches were delicious Senpai!” Sumire wiped her mouth with a tissue, as she finished the last bite of her sandwich. “You can really taste the Mikey Mouse!”

Akira laughed in response. “Suure you can, sweetie. All things aside, I really enjoyed it.”

“Yeah! So, where to next, Akira-senpai?” Sumire asked, eager to find their next destination.

“Well… since it’s…” He paused to check the time. “Nearly 9:40, do you wanna go for Hooh’s Hunny Hunt? The queue shouldn’t be too long considering we have our Acceleration Passes.”

“It’s back in Fantasyland, right?”

“Yeah, it shouldn’t be too far a walk. Shall we, my princess?”

“P-Princess?! Senpai! W-We’re in public…” Sumire stuttered, taken aback by Akira’s nickname for her.

“So? You’re my princess, and today I intend to treat you like one.” Akira smirked, as Sumire blushed a dark shade of red, going speechless. “I love you, my princess…”

“I-I love you too… my prince…”

Now it was Akira’s turn to blush, as he turned his head away, his heart melting inside. Saying nothing, he offered his hand to Sumire, his cheeks still burning bright. Accepting his hand graciously, she joined him by his side as they walked over to the giant book that housed the infamous ride. 

Showing their Acceleration Passes to the security working the ride, he unhooked the velvet rope closing off the second queue only accessible to those with the pass, as Akira led his girlfriend down the long and winding tunnel further into the ride.

“Did you see the wait time Senpai? It was over an hour long!” Sumire whispered in slight shock, following Akira deeper into the winding queue hallways. “That kind lady really wasn’t kidding about the wait times on this ride!”

“Yeah, I’ve been there, done that.” Akira chuckled as he looked at her surprised expression. “What? It’s not like it was fun, waiting in that queue for nearly two hours!”

“Two hours?!”

“Yeah… let’s just say it got really boring, really quickly…”

“I can imagine. I don’t think I could bear waiting that long for any ride, no matter how good it seems to be… If you don’t mind me asking, how did you manage to wait that long, Senpai?” Sumire questioned, slightly intrigued by his past experiences.

“Well, I actually don’t remember much… since it’s been such a long time and all…” Akira replied, a little disappointed by his lack of memory. “All I remember was the excruciating wait time… Thankfully we don’t have to go through all that again.”

“Right! We’re basically in the ride already! I can’t wait to meet Hooh Bear, and all his friends in the 200 Acre Woods!” Sumire exclaimed in glee, as they made their way to the very front of the queue. “I used to really enjoy this series when I was younger!”

The two of them were quickly ushered into the next car that arrived soon after the departure of the previous one. Akira waited until his girlfriend got comfortable in her seat before lowering the safety bar down until it was safely secured over their laps, as the couple prepared to experience a ride like no other.

Right as they turned the corner, what seemed to be a giant picture book from the Hooh Bear series suddenly jumped to life, as the main character alongside Hooh Bear started moving.

_“Jonathan Throbin, I’d be very much appeased if you could hand me that balloon you’re holding there.”_

_“But what are you going to use a balloon for?”_

_“To get honey, my dear Jonathan.”_

_“You can’t get honey with a balloon, Hooh!”_

Sumire and Akira both chuckled lightly as Jonathan and Hooh argued lightly about the ability of a balloon to help in gathering honey, before a door in the middle of the book opened, moving the ride further inside.

As the wind picked up, Hooh Bear started drifting off further into the sky, still clinging tightly onto his balloon while all of his friends on the ground struggled to stay afoot.

_“I’m gonna get blown away!” yelled Bunny. “My crops will surely never recover from this…”_

_“Help! Heelp! Someone help me!” exclaimed Hoglet, clinging onto a ladder._

“The amazing world of animatronics has come this far… It looks far better than the one I remember all those years ago!” Akira silently whispered to his girlfriend.

“I think this looks amazing too!” Sumire whispered back, excitedly. “It all feels so real!”

_“Careful up there Wroo!” Called out Canga, as she watched her daughter hang herself from a kite that they were flying._

_“Ma look! It’s Hooh! Hello Hooh!” Eagerly called out Wroo as Hooh responded with a wave._

_“Oh, hello Wroo, Canga! Hello E-ore! Great weather today, isn’t it?”_

_“It is...Thank you… Hooh Bear…” Droned E-ore in his usual monotone voice._

As Hooh flew into the distance, the ride moved on into a dark room where several more pictures seemingly came to life in a dark room, as Bouncer appeared and started to sing while bouncing around from page to page on his springy tail.

 _“The wonderful thing about Bouncers, is Bouncers are wonderful things!_ _Their ops are made out of rubber, Their bottoms are made out of springs! They’re bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun! But the most wonderful thing about Bouncers is .. I'm the only one! I'm the only one!”_

_“Be careful of the Heffalumps and Woozles Hooh-boy! Make sure they don’t steal your honey! Woohoo hoo hoo!”_

As the ride was moved out of the room, Sumire noticed out of the corner of her eye that Hooh Bear had fallen asleep. Nudging her boyfriend to take a look, the two of them gazed in amazement as the ride entered Hooh’s dream sequence, as he started to dream about the Heffalumps and Woozles that would try to steal his honey. 

“Hooh Bear must be having a terrible dream…” Sumire thought out loud. “I hope he wakes up soon, because there’s a lot of honey nearby for him to enjoy…”

Akira only responded with a chuckle as he watched his girlfriend truly immerse herself in the ride, and could only smile as he continued to see Sumire let out her inner child, just like he did on his first visit to Destinyland.

_“Mom! Can we go again! Please?” A young Akira pleaded with his mother as his father merely shook his head and smiled._

_“Your mother is right, Akira. The wait times are far too long for us to go again. We can go on some other rides though! How does Splash Canyon sound, champ?” came Akira’s father as he smiled at his son, picking him up and putting him on his shoulders._

Akira shook his head, snapping him out of his old memories, as he turned around, noticing that the ride had come to an end, the car exiting out of the doorway of the picture-book, with Hooh and his friends all waving goodbye, soon fading out of sight.

“Now I understand why everyone enjoys this ride so much! It’s so immersive and it really brings out your childhood memories, doesn’t it, Senpai?”

“This ride is one of my personal favorites for sure. I’m glad that you enjoyed it too, sweetheart.” 

Arriving back at the boarding station, the two of them waited until the safety bar was unfastened by the ride manager as they quickly got up and made their way towards the exit through the gift shop. Exiting the gift shop after a brief look around, and two newly bought headbands on Sumire’s and Akira’s heads respectively, the two of them made their way over to Westernland.

“Do you like the headband, Sumire? I think it looks really good on you.” Akira smiled, as he proceeded to adjust it a little. “There. Now you look perfect!”

His girlfriend slightly blushed at Akira’s actions, as she squeezed his hand tightly with a smile on her face. 

“Thanks, Akira… I love you…”

“Love you too, Sumire.”

Snagging their Acceleration Passes for Large Thundering Hill on the way, the duo, hands interlocked, made their way back over to Critter Country to queue up for their third ride of the day.

“Splash Canyon, eh?” Akira asked, intrigued, as he checked the time on his phone. “We’ve got quite some time to kill before we can use our passes, so I don’t particularly mind going for Splash Canyon either.”

“It’ll be fun, Senpai! We might get out soaking wet, or totally dry!” Sumire gleefully exclaimed, before noticing her boyfriend’s hesitant look. “Didn’t you bring extra clothes, Akira?”

“Err… well…” Akira stuttered and tripped over his words as Sumire could only giggle at his predicament. “Hey! I had planned to… I just… dammit…”

“It’s okay, Senpai!” Sumire comforted him, ruffling his hair in an attempt to cheer him up. “I’m sure you won’t get too wet, as long as we don’t get front seats, of course.”

“Right… That aside, Splash Canyon is definitely one of the more relaxing rides.” Akira said, thoughtfully. “If you don’t mind getting a little soaked, I’d be happy to experience it again, this time with someone a little more special...”

“I’d love to continue our Destinyland adventure, Akira-senpai! I really enjoyed the first two rides we’ve gone on so far! I can’t wait to see what else they have in store!”

The two of them dabbled around on their phones for a little while after quickly putting their belongings into a rentable locker, before Sumire decided to get a quick selfie of herself posing with Akira, visibly showing off their Mikey Mouse and Miney Mouse headbands that they bought merely a few moments earlier. As she sneakily sent it into the group chat without Akira’s knowledge, they made their way into the 45 minute long queue of Splash Canyon.

_Phantom Thieves Group Chat_

_SumiEvergarden sent an image:_

Akira immediately looked up at his girlfriend with an expression on his face that couldn’t tell you any less about how surprised he was, as he looked back down at his phone to find a few more messages had come through the group chat.

_RollOfFloof: Sumi-chan! You look sooo cute in that headband!_

_FistOfThePhantomStar: I agree with Haru! You look really adorable Sumire!_

_BurnMyBread: Hey you guys! Akira’s looking great too!_

_StarvingForArt: I must wholeheartedly agree. Akira and Sumire, the perfect couple with chemistry unseen yet present all the same! This is stimulating my artistic senses!_

_BurnMyBread: Ooookay that’s enough of that Yusuke._

_StarvingForArt: My apologies. Either way, you two look most stunning._

_SumiEvergarden: Thank you guys!_

_BeneathTheMask: Hey! Sumire!_

_SumiEvergarden: Sorry, Akira. Couldn’t resist sending it :)_

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent: So THAT’S where you went off to so early in the morning! Having fun at Destinyland for your date?_

_Runnin’FromCops: WAIT, SO I WAS RIGHT! You WERE going on a date with Sumire!_

_BeneathTheMask: Whoops! Busted :)_

_Runnin’FromCops: Well I guess it was none of my business anyways. Enjoy your time in Destinyland together you two! Take care of her, alright Akira?_

_BeneathTheMask: Of course. Who do you think I am?_

_SumiEvergarden: My boyfriend. <3 _

Akira could only look up from his phone with a slight blush as Sumire only looked at him with the most innocent look on her face, before breaking it into a smile, as she giggled at his response.

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent: DAMNNN SUMIRE!1!1!1!_

_BurnMyBread: Damn, Sumire! You go girl!_

_StarvingForArt: Well said, Sumire. You’re getting much better at that flirting thing that Ann, Haru and Makoto and Futaba were trying to teach you earlier this year._

_FistOfThePhantomStar: Yusuke!_

_RollOfFloof: Yusuke-kun! Didn’t we agree to not speak a word about that?_

_StarvingForArt: Did we? Ah, my apologies._

_BeneathTheMask: … Really guys? Flirting lessons?_

_SumiEvergarden: Uhh… I guess the cat’s out of the bag now…_

_Runnin’FromCops: I’m just gonna go… Also Sumire, you look great!_

_SumiEvergarden: Thanks Ryuji!_

_FistOfThePhantomStar: I’ll be heading off as well, I’ve got some work to finish up. Have fun you two!_

_RollOfFloof: Same here. I’m trying out a new blend of coffee and it’s nearly finished roasting. Goodbye everyone!_

_BurnMyBread: Oh shoot! I have a gig to get to! Bye guys!_

_StarvingForArt: I’ll be working on my new art piece. Do text me if anything comes up._

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent: I’ve got some spring break homework to catch up on. Time to make like a magician and disappear!_

_SumiEvergarden: See you guys!_

_BeneathTheMask: Right… Bye everyone!_

_FistOfThePhantomStar, Runnin’FromCops, BurnMyBread, StarvingForArt, RollOfFloof, FeatherCyanIsInnocent, SumiEvergaden and BeneathTheMask have gone offline._

“Really sweetheart? Flirting lessons?” Akira pressed, as he watched her put her hands up defensively with a blush on her face, before he shook his head in disappointment. “You already know I love you the way you are, why go for more?”

“I-It wasn’t my idea, Senpai! I just went along with it because Futaba told me to!”

“So it was Futaba’s idea?” Akira grinned with an evil smirk on his face, as his girlfriend’s expression morphed into a look of worry. “I’ll be sure to have a ‘ _talk’_ with her later.”

“Please don’t, Akira… she didn’t mean anything by it, I swear!”

“I’m only joking, love. I’m happy that you’re making an effort in trying to flirt back.” Akira comforted her, pulling her into a hug and kissing her on the top of her head. “I wouldn’t do that to any of you.”

“Awww you’re so sweet! Is your girlfriend teasing you too much to handle, perhaps?” Sumire teased him back, as he suddenly went silent, his face slowly turning beet red. “You’re so cute when you’re flustered! Now I can understand why you enjoy teasing me so much. Maybe it’s time you get a taste of your own medicine. What do you think?”

“Ah… that’s…” Akira suttered, unable to formulate a valid response as he only blushed a little harder at his girlfriend’s teasing before breaking from their hug. Sumire, seeing her boyfriend in a flustered state, pulled him into a quick kiss before separating soon after.

“I love you, Akira…”

“I love you too, Sumire…”

The rest of the wait was relatively uneventful, as the two of them continued to dabble on their phones while the line slowly shifted closer and closer towards the boarding station, before finally being stopped right at the front of the line, waiting for the next log shaped boat to drift into the area.

“Well Senpai, looks like we’re sitting at the very front!” Sumire giggled as her boyfriend only shook his head in dismay, before the two of them were soon ushered into the front row of the log.

“So, what’s this ride about, Senpai?” Sumire asked, trying to divert his attention away from the certainty of getting soaked. “This ride isn’t talked about that much in terms of it’s story, not that I recall hearing about it anyways…”

“Well… where do I begin?” Akira thought out loud as he began to recount the story of Br’er Rabbit and his journey to find his infamous ‘laughing place’. “The story follows Br’er Rabbit after he leaves home on an adventure to find his ‘laughing place’ while being pursued by his two captors, the dim-witted Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear.”

“What do you mean by ‘laughing place’?” Sumire questioned Akira with interest as he turned to her and gave her an all knowing smirk.

“You’ll find out soon enough, sweetheart.”

“Awww, no fair Akira!”

“Too bad~” 

Akira sighed, relaxing in his seat, knowing full well what to expect from the ride as his girlfriend eagerly watched the story of Br’er Rabbit and his two captors unfold in front of her very eyes.

_“Gotcha Br’er Bear! You will never catch me! I am simply too smart!” Bragged Br’er Rabbit cockily with a triumphant smile on his face. “Good luck Br’er Fox! You shall need it!”_

As Br’er Rabbit laughed triumphantly, Br’er Fox sought to free his ally from the trap which they themselves had set for the witty Br’er Rabbit, sneering at him as he managed to escape the clutches of his adversaries for the umpteenth time.

“Br’er Rabbit sure is one crafty little guy, isn’t he Senpai?” Sumire giggled, following the story with interest, curiously observing Br’er Rabbit. “He’s managed to get so far, even though he’s outnumbered!”

“We could definitely learn a thing or two from him about being sneaky,” Akira chuckled as Br’er Rabbit snuck past his oblivious captors. “We should take some notes from Br’er Rabbit, ask him to teach us the art of infiltrations and espionage.” 

“You say that like we haven’t had experience of being Phantom Thieves before…” Sumire rolled her eyes in playfulness as Akira let out a quiet laugh. “If anything, Br’er Rabbit should be learning from _us_!”

“True that!”

The two of them continued on through the ride, until finally Br’er Rabbit led his adversaries into a large cavern of bees, which led to his inevitable capture.

_“I’ve gotcha now, Br’er Rabbit! You cannot escape this time!” Smirked Br’er Fox in victory, as he admired his new catch. “You’ll make a perfect meal for me… once you’re roasted! Hahaha!”_

_“Oh whatever shall I do?” Br’er Rabbit pleaded, with a glint in his eyes, showing the riders that the witty Br’er Rabbit always had a trick or seven up his sleeves. “Please, Br’er Fox, you can do anything to me, just don’t throw me into that there briar patch!”_

_“Don’t throw you into that briar patch you say? What an excellent idea!” Br’er Fox sniggered unknowingly, while Br’er Rabbit grinned, knowing full well that he had taken the bait, as he was let go from his trap._

“Here’s the drop, Sumire! It’s all been leading up to this!” Akira hugged her tight, as he shouted at the top of his lungs. “WOOOHOOO!

“WOOOOO!” Sumire yelled, clutching her boyfriend close in her arms, as they reached the end of the drop, with a huge wave springing out of the water and soaking everyone to the bone. “Well… I guess we did get soaked after all, Senpai.”

Akira could only shake his head in response, before breaking out into a laughing fit alongside his girlfriend, as the log went past a few scenes showing Br’er Rabbit back at his home, safe and sound. 

“Looks like I’m gonna need a change of clothes after all…” Sighed Akira as he looked over to his giggling girlfriend. Before long, the log pulled back into the station and Sumire lifted the safety bar off their laps, the two of them hastily making their way into the late morning sun.

“Well, guess I’m gonna have to stick with these soaked clothes for a couple of hours…”

“Umm… Senpai? About that…”

“Hm? What is it, Sumire?”

“Well, I… uh… I…” Sumire stuttered nervously, anticipating a bad response from her boyfriend in regards to her actions. “I… may or may not have taken a set of your clothes from when I stayed at your house a couple of nights ago… They’re in the locker where we put our belongings earlier, before Splash Canyon…”

“You did what?” Akira’s response was genuine, and the tone expressed none other than the look of shock on his face as he looked down towards his girlfriend, who was fidgeting with her hair out of nervousness. He gave her the only response he could. A genuine smile.

“You planned this far ahead, did you? I’m surprised, sweetheart. But, thank you…” Akira thanked her, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. “That really means a lot to me, y’know? It shows how much you care for me, and how well you know me by now. I couldn’t ask for a better girlfriend.”

“Y-Y… You’re not mad at me, Akira?” Sumire looked up at him, with a downcast expression on her face. “But… but… I…”

“It’s okay, love. I really appreciate it.” Akira comforted her as she quickly wrapped him in a hug. “I’d never get mad at you for thinking about me…”

“Y-You really mean it, Senpai?”

“You know I do, love. I’m just surprised you didn’t tell me sooner, is all.”

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s alright, you know I could never get mad at you...” Akira gave her another kiss, this time on the cheek, as he ruffled her hair a little. “We should probably get our clothes back and change before we catch anything, though.”

“Right!”

_Take Your Time_

Akira smirked into the mirror at the common bathroom in Critter Country, looking fresh in his new clothes. He was wearing a long sleeved white button up shirt with all the buttons undone over his black tee, for a little bit of extra insulation around his arms, completed with a pair of dark blue jeans. He strolled out of the bathroom in stride as he waited for his girlfriend to finish changing. Not long after, she walked out of the bathroom wearing a red turtleneck sweater with a complimentary black jacket and white skirt. Looking around for her boyfriend, she eagerly ran over and linked her hand with his, as they continued through Destinyland, seeking their next adventure.

“So, my dear princess, where would you like to go next?” Akira graciously asked her as he took out their copy of the Destinyland map, scouring for their next destination. “We could go for Large Thundering Hill and use our Acceleration Passes, or... we could check out Haunted Mansion! Or maybe-”

He was cut off by the growling of a nearby stomach, to which he could only look to his right, to see his girlfriend blushing in embarrassment. 

“Well… could we get something to eat first?” Sumire smiled, her face a light shade of pink. “I’m a little hungry…”

“Of course, sweetheart. We still have an hour before our Acceleration Passes expire, anyways, since it’s only 12:00.” Akira noted, putting his phone back in his pocket. “We might even be able to catch the mid-day parade that’ll be going around.”

“Ooh Commander Hook’s Gallery serves pizza! How does pizza sound to you, Senpai?” Sumire asked, with hope in her eyes. 

“Pizza sounds pretty good to me. Let’s head back over to Fantasyland for a quick break then.”

“Right behind you, Akira!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. Nearly 2 months again. Sorry for the extremely long wait! I did say "a week or two" but some irl shit came up and de-railed that entire plan. As you probably noticed, this is a part 1, and I had to split it up due to the length it was reaching. I hope you've all enjoyed it so far and since I already have part 2 mostly complete, I'll have it up in a week to make up for my previous stumble. Please do leave a comment, and I'll try to reply to all of you. Thank you all so much for reading!
> 
> A special thanks to Tharon (RainyDays Sunset Hours) for proof-reading, Celexcity (https://twitter.com/celexcity) for that beautiful commission, and ShynePls (https://twitter.com/Shynepls) for motivating me to finish this chapter!


	11. The Destiny of a Fool and His Faith (Part 2)

_ Take Your Time _

The two of them managed to get themselves a seat in the crowded area of Commander Hook’s Gallery, with Sumire managing to snag an open seat while Akira ordered their food. He soon came back with his own personal sized pizza, and a large pizza for his girlfriend.

“Itadakimasu!”

“Right. Thank you for the food.”

The two of them began to chow down hungrily on their individual pizzas, with Sumire keeping her pace with Akira, despite having a pizza nearly fifty percent larger than his own.

“I still don’t know how you do it, darling…” Akira stared in amazement as he watched her eat slice after slice effortlessly. 

“Well, the amazing taste of the pizza certainly helps!” Giggled Sumire in response as she took another bite from her pizza slice. “Oh that reminds me! How much do I owe y-”

“Not a single thing.” Akira cut her off, as she blushed and pouted slightly, still chewing her pizza.

“Hey! No fair Senpai! I can’t let you pay for  _ everything _ !” Sumire countered weakly as she attempted to reach for her wallet before being blocked immediately by Akira, who simply shook his head. Sumire sighed and relaxed a little more in her seat as her boyfriend did the same, looking at her with a smile.

“Trust me Sumire. I have  _ more _ than enough money for this. Count this as my treat, considering the fact that you’ve paid for both our entrance tickets and the lunch yesterday, alright sweetheart?” 

“Awww… fine…”

“Couldn’t I at the very least get a thank you? I don’t get the chance to spoil my girlfriend that often, y’know?” Akira exclaimed, with a touch of sarcasm, indignancy and his usual complimentary smirk that followed it. Sumire pouted, as she stared at her boyfriend with an angry, yet cute face while her boyfriend only sent a chuckle her way.

“You’re really cute when you’re angry, y’know that?"

"I hate you Akira…" 

"You know you love me, sweetheart." Akira smirked, with a cocky smile on his face as he gave her ponytail a playful runthrough with his fingers. 

"If anyone would know, it'd be you, Akira…" giggled Sumire with a light blush and a sweet smile on her face. “You know I could never hate you for anything.”

Akira smiled genuinely and kissed her on the forehead, before pulling her into a hug. “I love you, Sumire… I never want to let you go…”

“You don’t have to, you know~”

The two of them chuckled a little before Akira let her go from his hug, as they continued to finish their food in relative silence, with the occasional instances of eye contact they would make with each other. 

“That pizza was delicious, Akira-senpai!” Sumire exclaimed in happiness, as Akira nodded in agreement, swallowing the last bit of crust of his last slice. 

“Agreed. That was the best pizza I’ve had in a long while... Although then again, I guess I  _ have _ been eating a lot of curry over the past year, since I didn’t really know how to make anything else...”

“Well, with the new cookbook Dr. Maruki gave me, maybe w-we c-c-could learn t-together?” 

“Learning to cook with my girlfriend, eh? I think I’d quite enjoy that…”

“O-Oh! Really? Y-You’d really want to?”

“I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again. Any time spent with you is time well spent, love.”

Sumire turned a light shade of crimson, looking away for a brief moment, before realising that Akira had stood up, and was offering her his hand. Accepting it gracefully, the two of them interlocked hands as they made their way towards Large Lightning Hill.

_ Take Your Time _

The two of them managed to make it to Westernland with 10 minutes to spare on their Acceleration passes, as they both breathed a sigh of relief while walking through the long and winding hallways, making it to the front of the line. Sensing that they still had some time to kill, Sumire decided to lay her question out to her boyfriend.

“So Senpai… What’s the story behind the Large Lightning Hill Railroad?” Sumire asked with interest, tilting her head slightly out of curiosity. “I only faintly remember the mention of a mine in the mountains…”

“Hmm… Where do I begin?” Akira mused, placing his hand on his chin, deep in thought. “So… this story begins in the late 1800’s, where some of the American settlers that were mining found an abundance of gold inside the mountain.”

“Gold?”

“Yeah. Gold. Since everyone wanted a part of this, a small town seemingly popped up overnight, and this new town thrived with the promise of prosperous mining, stripping the mountain of all its gold. During this time, a mine train system was built and established to help transport the gold ore that was being mined on a daily basis.”

“This sounds really interesting! What happened then?” 

“Well, unbeknownst to the settlers, the mountain was a sacred place to the natives, and it was said to be cursed. So not before long, the desecration of the mountain caused a great tragedy, wiping out the town and the mines nearly as quickly as it was built. Because of that, the town was abandoned, and only a few souls have ever set foot there after the incident.”

“Wow… I never knew that this ride had such an interesting story behind it! But where does the name Large Lightning Hill Railroad come from?”

“I’m glad you asked, Sumire. You have a keen eye for mysteries.”

“Maybe that’s why I fell for you like I did.” Sumire commented, with a straight face.

Akira stuttered in his tracks, tensing up a little, before Sumire noticed a slight blush forming on his face and started to giggle. Turning away, and coughing a little, Akira attempted to move past his visible embarrassment, as he tried to continue his story as if nothing had happened, with a light shade of red still prominent on his face.

“A-Anyways…” Akira stumbled over his words, as his girlfriend smiled and gave him a light nudge. “R-Right. Anyways… The few souls that’ve gone to investigate the previously inhabited town, found that the trains that were built for the mines, were somehow running on their own, without a crew or engineers, and soon after that, the Large Lightning Hill Railroad was founded to allow visitors and tourists to take rides on the possessed trains.”

Sumire had a look of surprise and wonder on her face, making her interest apparent to Akira. “Wow! That’s actually a really cool idea for a ride!”

Akira nodded his head in agreement.“Yeah. It always fascinated me when I was younger too. This ride in particular also holds a special place in my heart…”

The two of them soon made it to the front of the queue, where they were stopped by the crew-member, as Sumire gave Akira a quick nudge and a wink, to which he winked back at her with a smile. Not before long, the next train pulled into the station, and much to the couple’s glee, they were directed into the very front seats. Waiting for his girlfriend to first get comfortable, he then slowly lowered the safety bar and leaned back in his seat.

“This is gonna be so much fun!” Sumire fidgeted in place, letting out a half whisper to her boyfriend sitting next to her, while Akira only chuckled in response.

“Aaand… the drop should be coming up in 3...2...1… Put your hands up and scream, Sumire! WOOOO!”

“YEAH! WOOHOO!”

Following the train’s many twists and turns through the excavated caves and dark mines, the duo screamed in delight, hands raised in the air, enjoying their time together on the coaster to the fullest before it finally came to a stop back at the station.

“That. Was. So. Awesome! I really enjoyed it, Senpai!” came Sumire’s voice from ahead of him, as she excitedly ran back to grab his hand

“Really? I’m glad to hear it. That was an experience I’ll never forget. Spending it with you was my pleasure, sweetheart.”

“Can we go again? We still have the time, right Akira?” Sumire pleaded with puppy-dog eyes, as she lightly tugged on her boyfriend’s sleeves. 

“So… it’s about 1PM right now…” Akira thought out loud, putting his phone back into his pocket. “I think we have time for one more go at Large Lightning Hill. Do you wanna come with, princess?”

“As if you could convince me to say no to you, Senpai! Last one there has to buy us dinner!” Sumire giggled, as she ran ahead, towards the exit, and stood at the door taunting her boyfriend. “Hurry it up, Akira! You’re gonna be the one buying dinner if you keep that pace up!”

“And what’s wrong with that?” Akira smirked, crossing his arms confidently, leaning on the railing next to where he was standing. “You do realise that I  _ want _ to buy you dinner, right?”

“Awww no fair!” Sumire pouted, crossing her arms. “Couldn’t you at the very least try?”

“Oh, if you want me to, then I will.” Akira stated, with a competitive fire in his eyes.“Just know that I’ll be the one letting you win when I inevitably reach the start of the queue before you do.”

“Oh then it’s on, Akira!”

“Try to keep up then, slowpoke!”

_ Take Your Time _

After another ride on the Large Lightning Hill railroad, with the race ending exactly as Akira has predicted, with him reaching the start of the queue first. Although he let his girlfriend win, he had to thank Ryuji for getting him into shape during their time as Phantom Thieves. With their second go at Large Lightning Hill finally complete after a 30 minute waiting time, the two of them walked out of the exit hallway, smiling and laughing alongside one another as they made their way into the afternoon sun and the slightly chilly spring air.

“I can definitely see why you enjoy it so much, Akira! It feels like such a surreal experience, along with the intricate backstory this ride has!” 

“I’m glad you feel the same, sweetheart. This ride meant a lot to me when I was younger, but I was never able to come up with a reason as to why… But now, I think I’ve found my reason.”

“Ooh! Tell me!”

“You.”

“Me?!”

“Yes. You, Sumire. What did you think I would say?”

“Umm… well… I…”

“Come here, you…”

Akira enveloped his girlfriend in a brief hug before breaking it, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. “I loved that ride so much as a kid, and now that I’ve experienced it with you, I love it even more. Maybe even as much as I love you.”

“O-Oh! W-Well, I-I love you t-too, Akira…” Sumire stuttered, blushing furiously as she pulled him into another hug, burying her face in his chest, effectively muffling her words as she spoke to him so only he could hear her.. “You make me feel so special…”

“That’s because you  _ are _ special, sweetheart.” Akira comforted her gently, running his fingers through her hair. “I wouldn’t give you up for the world.”

“Y-You really mean it?” She asked, looking up at her boyfriend’s face as he gave her an empathetic smile, nodding his head in affirmation. 

“Of course I do. You’re my girlfriend, and as long as you’ll have me, I’ll be here for you.”

“You say that as though I’d leave you, Senpai.”

“Well… I just... never feel like I’m enough for you sometimes…” Akira spoke quietly, his head hung low. “I feel like you deserve so much more than just me…”

“You’re kidding, right?” Sumire broke from their hug with an astonished look on her face. “You really think that you’re not enough? You’ve already done  _ so _ much for me over our relationship. I couldn’t find a better boyfriend if I  _ tried _ .”

“You really mean that?” 

“I do. I love you, Akira. With all my heart.”

“I love you too, Sumire…”

Pulling her boyfriend in for another hug, this time Sumire tip-toed for a quick peck on his cheek before fully embracing him in a hug, squeezing as tightly as she could. Akira, sensing her emotions, gently reciprocated, wrapping his arms around her as lightly as he could. A couple of minutes having passed, yet only feeling like a split second, the two soon split from the hug after what Akira would call ‘a time too short’. Smiling at each other affectionately, the two of them made their way back to Tomorrowland, seeking their next adventure in the land full of magic.

_ Take Your Time _

Akira and Sumire took a slow and enjoyable walk as they made their way to the next ride after stopping for some churros on the way. As they made their way into Tomorrowland, they managed to snag the Acceleration passes for Fuzz Lightyear’s Space Blasters before hurriedly joining the hour long queue for Monsters Amalgamated, Ride and Seek. 

“Oh this is the Monsters Amalg Headquarters, isn’t it Akira?” Sumire exclaimed in surprise, recognizing the familiar logo hanging high above their heads. “I used to love Monsters Amalgamated when I was younger... “

“It was a really good movie, I definitely agree with that,” Akira nodded his head in agreement, as he looked up towards the side of the building. “I can’t believe this movie’s been out for so many years and yet it’s still regarded as one of my personal bests.”

“Yeah! It still holds a special place in my heart. I still remember when Kasumi and I watched it together for the first time…” Sumire started, reminiscing over her past memories. “I wonder what she’d say if she was with us now…”

“I don’t know her that well, maybe not even at all. But I can definitely tell you one thing. She’d be laughing alongside us and having a good time, telling us to lighten up.” Akira spoke truthfully, shrugging his shoulders. “Even if she isn’t with us now, she’s still in our hearts, and she always will be.”

“Yeah… you’re right, Senpai…” Sumire sniffled a little, before putting a brave smile on her face, showing the world her renowned confidence. “Sorry I keep bringing down the mood…”

“It’s alright, sweetheart… I know how it must feel…”

“I just really miss her…”

“I’ll always be here for you if you need to cry, alright sweetheart? Let’s try and be happy for today, though. We’re at Destinyland after all, and I’m sure Kasumi would want us to enjoy ourselves.”

“Right… Thank you Akira…”

Akira wiped away the tears forming in her eyes as he ruffled her hair up a little. “I mean it, alright? I’ll be here for you. That’s what boyfriends are for, after all.”

“Heh… I appreciate it Akira…” Sumire smiled, as he looked into her eyes with an empathetic gaze. “You really  _ are _ the best boyfriend I could ask for...”

“Thank you, my darling. I really appreciate it...” Akira accepted her words humbly, before attempting to shift the conversation in a lighter direction. “So, is there anything you want to know about this ride, Sumire?”

Sumire, visibly lighting up at a change in topic, eagerly looked at Akira with an intense curiosity in her eyes. “Oh! Do tell me the story behind this one, Senpai!”

“Well…” Akira started, deep in thought. “You remember how at the end of the movie, Sike and Bully managed to rebuild Boo’s door, right?”

“Yeah, it was a really touching scene! I remembered I nearly cried while Kasumi tried comforting me…”

“Right, so somewhere in the future, Sike and Bully are having Boo over for a playdate, but unbeknownst to them, the malicious chameleon Randall has somehow managed to make his way back into the world of Monsters Amalgamated. I think what comes next doesn’t need to be explained, does it?”

“Randall? He’s gonna attempt to steal Boo’s screams again to take over the company, isn’t he?”

“And you’re absolutely right. What a surprise, isn’t it?”

“For a monster that changes colours all the time, he sure isn’t one for the change of the company…”

The two of them chuckled lightly at Sumire’s attempt at humour before continuing to make some small talk, whittling away at the queue time slowly but surely. Not before long, they finally made it to the boarding station as they started to hear an automated message being played from the speakers above their heads.

_ “This is an interactive ride. Riders will be given flashlights and hovering the flashlights over specific designated areas will trigger a visual and auditory experience. Please do not remove the flashlights from the ride. Thank you.” _

“Oh, an interactive ride?” Sumire questioned Akira, with a look of interest in her eyes. “What do they mean by that, Senpai?”

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out, sweetheart. We’re basically at the front of the queue now anyways.” Akira shrugged, pulling off the most innocent smile he could as she could only shake her head.

“Awww… you’re no fun…” Sumire pouted, as Akira chuckled lightly.

The two of them were ushered into the boarding area to keep the queue moving fast, as they boarded the second car and got comfortable in their seats. The cars soon took off from the station with little to no delay, as the riders were quickly introduced to Bully, Sike, and Boo.

_ “Hello Boo! Are ya ready for some fun tonight?” _

_ “Sike Wazowski! Sike Wazowski!” _

_ Bully chuckled. “I think she’s ready, Sike! I’ll make sure to watch over Boo while you get our festivities ready for tonight. Isn’t that right Boo?” _

_ Boo nods her head. “Kitty!” _

“Aww! Boo is still as cute as I remember her!” Sumire gushed in a quiet whisper, as her boyfriend smiled next to her, empathetically. 

_ “I will have my revenge on them yet!” Exclaimed Randall from behind some crates, armed with a scream canister and butterfly net. “I  _ **_will_ ** _ make everyone see the true power of screams!” _

“Ah, there’s Randall, the little jerk…” Sumire quietly seethed in anger at the sight of the unfriendly monster. “He never learns how to give up, does he?”

“Nope. Maybe this time he’ll finally learn his lesson…” Akira whispered back at her, unknowingly foreshadowing the end of the ride as they pulled up on Sike at the main power switch.

_ “This power switch is for the entirety of Monstropolis, so once the lights are out, you can use those dandy flashlights to find some special surprises waiting for ya! Are ya ready?” _

Sike flipped the switch, killing the lights for the entire city while the flashlights that Sumire and Akira were holding immediately lit up. 

“Oh! This is so cool! So in order to see different parts of the ride, we have to shine the light at the monster’s helmets, right?”

“Spot on. Let’s make sure we see everything we can, alright my princess?”

“Right!”

Riding throughout the dark city, the boyfriend and girlfriend duo managed to light the city up with their combined efforts and their search for Boo along with Sike and Bully. 

_ “Boo? Where are you?” _

_ “She must be back at the factory. We need to get back to her before something happens!” _

“Sike sounds pretty worried… Do you think he knows about Randall?” Sumire questioned, getting absorbed into the ride. 

“You’ll see…” Was all Akira could muster, concealing a smirk that formed on his face.

The ride soon pulled up to Boo hiding in a bunch of crates while Randall, using his camouflage, snuck up on her without her knowing. 

_ “I’ve got you now, little girl… Come to papa!” Randall yelled, revealing himself to Boo. Right at that moment, Sike came out from the box Randall was standing on, knocking him into the trash compactor behind him.  _

_ Boo giggled, as Sike got out of his box, and started carrying her over to Bully. “I got her, Bully! Had to stop a little purple lizard on the way, but I think that’s been taken care of, so we can wait until he’s out of the trash compactor before we do anything with him. Whaddya say?” _

_ Bully chuckled as the ride moved past the trash compactor, showing each of the painful stages Randall went through, from being pressed flat, and being conformed into the shape of a cube. “I guess he might’ve learned his lesson now, don’tcha think?” _

_ “I’m sure he has, Bully! What do you think Boo?” _

_ Boo laughed and giggled at Randall’s predicament, before sticking her tongue out at him while Randall kept his mouth shut, knowing that he had been defeated yet again. _

“I’m glad that everything worked out in the end! That was a really tense moment!” Sumire excitedly whispered. “I really thought that Randall had Boo for a second!”

Akira only chuckled in response as the ride pulled up on the last and final scene, showing Boo hugging Sike and Bully, before going back through her door with a single wave.

_ “Kitty! Sike Wazowski!” Boo waved from her bed in her room as the two of them waved back, before slowly closing the pink and flowered door. _

_ “Goodbye Boo! See you next time!” They said in unison, with wide grins on their faces. _

The ride pulled back into the boarding station, as Sumire and Akira were both let out of the car. Standing up and stretching a little, they both made their way through the exit tunnel and into the gift shop.

“Awww! I really enjoyed this ride, Akira!” Sumire expressed, gleefully. “I can’t get over how cute that ending was!”

“I’m glad to hear it, sweetheart. It’s definitely a personal favorite of mine as well.” Akira agreed, nodding his head as they took a look around the gift shop. “Since we’re in the gift shop right now, is there anything you want?”

“No, I don’t really think so…” Sumire thought out loud, looking around the room a couple of times before shaking her head. “I think we’re good for now, Senpai. I can’t tell you how cute you look in your headband!”

“R-Really? T-Thank you…” Akira managed to get out, before he blushed a little as they walked out of the gift shop. “Don’t sell yourself short, Sumire. I think you look great too!”

“I-I do?!”

“Yeah. I mean it. You look like someone fit to be my girlfriend.”

“I don’t know how you managed to say that with a straight face…”

“Well, I am the one and only leader of the Phantom Thieves, after all.” Akira smirked, a large and silly grin plastered across his face as his girlfriend only rolled her eyes in response. “ _ What? _ You know you love me for it~”

“I hate it when you’re right and you taunt me like that, you know?”

“Suuure you do.”

Akira chuckled as Sumire’s blush only served to deepen before she grabbed him by the face and brought him down for a kiss that he eagerly reciprocated.

“I love you, Akira...”

“I love you more, princess!”

“Nuh-uh! I do!”

Akira smirked, teasing her in the ways that they both knew she enjoyed. “Well too bad, you’ll just have to accept defeat this time.”

Sumire looked up at her boyfriend indignantly albeit with a smile on her face. “This time?! When have I ever lost to you over this?”

“Ah… um…” Akira stuttered, having been caught in his lie, suddenly going quiet as it was now Sumire’s turn to giggle at his predicament. 

“I thought so.” Sumire laughed with a smug grin on her face. “Another victory for me! I wonder when you’ll ever beat me, Senpai. I’m starting to think you aren’t even  _ trying _ anymore!”

Akira quickly regained his confidence and striked with another witty comeback he thought of on the spot. “What kind of boyfriend would I be if I took all the fun from my girlfriend?”

“You’d be  _ my _ boyfriend, that’s the kind of boyfriend you would be.” Sumire countered with an even larger grin on her face as she watched him blush very slightly, saying nothing. “And this is why _ I  _ love  _ you _ , so much more than you realise. I can’t imagine being here without you.”

“R-Really? You mean it?” Akira looked down at her in surprise, as she nodded her head enthusiastically.

“Of course I do, Akira.”

“I love you, Sumire…”

“I love you too…”

The two of them walked in silence, feeling content with the other’s presence, as they made their next destination, Fizz Lightyear’s Space Blasters.

_ Take Your Time _

As the two of them casually strolled into the Acceleration pass lane for Fizz Lightyear’s Space Blasters, they quickly made their way to the front of the line, which still seemed to be a good distance away from the boarding station much to their surprise. Sensing that they had nothing better to do, Sumire decided to ask her boyfriend about the ride and the story behind it.

“Akira?”

“What is it, love?”

“You know what I’m about to ask you~”

“Do I?”

The two of them chuckled, as Akira leaned to the side of the queue, trying gauge and estimate how much longer they had in the queue. Taking in a deep breath, he began his explanation of the ride’s story involving the malicious Emperor Zurg, and his plan to steal the crystallic fusion cells, used to power the spaceships of the Little Green Men.

“So, we’re raw recruits under the ‘Star Command’ division, sent out to help defeat Emperor Zurg.” Akira finished as he looked at his girlfriend. “There’s also a little something about this ride that makes it special to me, but I think you’ll know what it is once we get there.”

“Ooh! What is it?” Sumire eagerly perked up in excitement, staring back at him with a glint in her eyes. “Is it another interactive ride? I really hope it is!”

“Well, it’s something like that…” Akira trailed off, attempting to be as vague as possible, keeping the big surprise a secret for his girlfriend. “I’m sure you’ll enjoy this very much, though. That, is nearly a guarantee.”

“I can’t wait!~” His girlfriend sang in a sing-song voice as they made their way further into the ride’s queue, passing by a life-size Fizz Lightyear animatronic on their way in.

_“Alright you junior space rangers, listen up!”_ _Spoke Fizz, in a commanding voice, catching Sumire off guard. “Zurg is using the stolen batteries to energize his secret weapon. Our mission is to find his robots, and his secret weapon, and blast them.”_

“Wow, did Fizz just talk?” Sumire exclaimed in surprise, continuing to gaze as the moving and talking animatronic in awe. “That’s amazing! He looks so real!”

Akira only nodded with a smile on his face, as he continued to let Fizz finish his mission briefing.

_ “The green squadron will retrieve the power cells while the rest of you concentrate on those robots. You will rendezvous at Planet Z. I will remain here at Star Command to coordinate the mission.” _

Just then, an alarm started blaring through the room, as the Fizz Lightyear animatronic looked in the direction of the loud sound before confidently regaining his usual commanding posture.

_ “Battle stations! Report to the flight deck for immediate launch! Good luck recruits! To infinity, and beyond!”  _

“Is this… what I think it is, Senpai?”

“Well, I can’t read your mind, so tell me, what do you think it is, sweetheart?”

“Is this a shooting gallery ride?” Sumire asked with a look of hope in her eyes that soon changed to a look of glee when her boyfriend nodded his head in response. “I can’t wait! Oh! Is there a scoring system too?”

“Oh, most definitely.” Akira smirked in response, already knowing what she had in mind, and judging by the look on her face, she had the same idea.

“You want a competition, don’t you, Akira?” His girlfriend asked with a slight smirk on her face, letting her competitive side take over for a bit. “If that’s the case, you’re on! I won’t lose to you!”

“Oh, really? Need I remind you that you’re in the presence of a Level 5 Ranger First Class?” Akira spoke with pride as his girlfriend looked at him quizzically. “Oh right, you don’t know how the scoring system works, do you? So basically…”

Akira quickly explained the system of points to his girlfriend who listened eagerly and seemingly mentally noted how the points were added up in the end. As he hastily finished his explanation he noticed that his girlfriend was now looking at him with a confident smirk on her face.

“I’m sure I can beat you, Senpai! I don’t think it’ll take much effort, either!” 

“Again, Level 5 Ranger First Class here~”

“Wait.  **Level 5** ?!”

“Yeeap. That’s my highest score ever, and I’m proud of it.”

“Then it’ll make me feel so much better wiping that smirk off your face after I beat you this time!” Sumire winked at him, as he only shook his head with a pitiful smile.

“I really didn’t want to do this, but it seems as though my girlfriend’s getting a little too big for her shoes, don’t you think?” Akira chuckled as Sumire blushed a light red. “Fine then, how about another bet? Since you’re so confident, I’ll let you decide on the terms.”

“Oh, it’s on! Loser has to buy the second round of churros!” Sumire suggested with a flare of confidence, as Akira only chuckled.

“Bring it on then, sweetheart.” Akira assumed his confident Joker pose, pretending that his glasses were his mask as he adjusted them boldly. “I accept your challenge.” 

The couple, now with a goal in mind finally made their way to the very front of the queue and were hurriedly escorted into their car. They soon got comfortable as the safety bar lowered down, enabling access to their blasters and the car’s joystick.

Points dinged and blasters were shot as the boyfriend and girlfriend duo continued to shoot out the targets, earning themselves a respectable amount of points throughout the first section.

_ “I’m losing control! Power! I need more power!” Came the deep voice of Emperor Zurg. “You there! Join me and together we will defeat Fuzz Lightyear!” _

“Never in a million years, Zurg!” Sumire shouted loudly, blasting him and his modified blaster in the face, scoring her an additional 5000 points before she aimed at a hidden target that scored her 10000 more points. “Score!”

“Nice shot, love. Can you keep up, though?” Akira ruffled her hair, giving her a quick kiss on the top of her head before focusing on the next section of targets, hitting all of them with near pinpoint accuracy. Sumire was quick to follow up though, hitting some of her own high scoring targets with rapid precision.

Soon the cars made it to Planet Z, the supposed rendezvous point, only to find it crawling with aliens and Zurg’s robots. Blasting their way through, they finally caught up to Zurg, blasting away on a rocket.

_ “You fools! You thought you could stop me?! HAHA, you may destroy my treasure, but not my secret weapon!” Zurg laughed, maliciously, not noticing Fizz descending down, ready to take a stand with Star Command. _

_ “Destroy Zurg’s secret weapon, Star Command! On me!” Fizz commanded, using his own blaster to shoot Zurg and his weapon. _

_ “No! My secret weapon is ruined!” Zurg shouted in anger, rendered helpless now that his weapon had stopped functioning. _

_ “We’ve got Zurg on the run! Blast him with everything you’ve got! Maybe this will make you think twice before messing with Star Command, Zurg.” Fizz smirked, knowing that his recruits would be all but defeated. _

_ “I am invincible, do you hear me?! Invincible!” Zurg roared, before another round of blaster shots hit him square in the head. “You ruin everything! Curse you Fizz Lightyear! Argh!” _

Akira turned to watch his girlfriend, attentively scanning for more targets to hit before they reached the final room.

_ “Yes. We will return Zurg to the store. He is a bad toy!” One of the Little Green Men explained. _

_ “A baaaad toy!” Echoed the other Little Green Men. _

_ “You can’t do this! Nooooo!” Zurg screamed in defeat as he was taken away, overwhelmed by the sheer number of Little Green Men carrying him away as the ride pulled over back into the boarding station. _

“So, how did you do, target extraordinaire?” Akira teased as he leaned over to check her score, fastening his blaster into the compartment. “What’s your final score, love?”

“I managed 167,000! What about you, Senpai? I bet you couldn’t even hit half of the targets that I managed to hit first!” Sumire teased before she leaned over, looking at his score subtly before her jaw dropped. “W-Wha-what?! B-But… but… how?!”

“You made the wrong move, sweetheart, challenging a Ranger 1st Class,” Akira smirked victoriously as they both got out of their car at the exit station. “I’m quite surprised though, for your first time, you managed to get a really high score!”

“I guess all that training in the Metaverse helped a little with my accuracy!” Sumire smiled at him. “I still can’t believe you managed to get 478,000 points…”

“Well, I guess I  _ have _ been here before, so I knew where a couple of secret targets were…” Akira rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment as his girlfriend paused, taking a second to process the information.

Sumire slowly turned towards him, her face full of shock. “You knew  _ what _ ?!”

Akira grinned cheekily as he put his hands up defensively. “Sorry sweetheart. I  _ did _ say that I didn’t want to do this, so whose fault is it, really?” 

“I hate you Akira…”

“Oh believe me, I would too.”

The two of them laughed cheerfully, knowing that it was all in good fun as they exited the gift shop quickly after their playful exchange. Looking for the nearest churro stand, the two of them quickly made their way over and got into line before Sumire sighed jokingly, taking out her wallet.

“Making a girl pay, I can’t believe you Akira-senpai…” Sumire playfully joked, shaking her head in false disappointment. Her boyfriend seemed to be taken in by her act as he immediately gave her a look of pity.

“If you don’t want to pay, you should’ve just said so, love.” Akira spoke empathetically, reaching for his own wallet before his girlfriend quickly stopped him, laughing a little. “What? Are you paying for it or not, you little trickster?”

“I’m only kidding, Akira. A bet is a bet, and I lost fair and square.” Sumire giggled as she paid for their churros. “Here you go! I hope you enjoy it after that victory, my prince.”

“I’m flattered, yet honored, my princess.” Akira thanked her, taking his churro from her hand as she put her wallet back into her bag. “I love you so much…”

“I love you too…”

The two of them took a short break after finding a place to sit, quietly munching on their churros as they spent their time together in relative silence. 

Akira relinquished in the savory taste and soft, yet crunchy texture of his churro while he watched his girlfriend devour her own hungrily. He chuckled as he reached up to wipe some crumbs off of her face before he put his hand out in front of hers, stopping her in her tracks.

“Ah, what is it, Senpai?”

“Let me get that for you, sweetheart.” Akira whispered, as he leaned in for a kiss, eating the crumbs off her lips as he placed his own around hers. Sumire was caught off guard, but eventually she let the feeling overwhelm her as she leaned into his warm embrace, deepening the kiss. The two of them broke out of it, panting a little and out of breath, as they both turned away, a deep blush on Akira’s and Sumire’s face alike.

“I… really enjoyed that Akira…”

“I did too, Sumire…”

The duo finished off their churros as they both stood up at the same time, wiping their mouths with the tissues that Sumire brought along with her in her bag. Smiling in content, they both linked arms yet again as they made their way over towards the final ride back in Fantasyland, the accursed Haunted Mansion.

_ Take Your Time _

“So Senpai,” Sumire started, looking up from her phone as they entered the hour and a half long queue, awaiting their turn on the ride. “W-What’s the story behind this ride?”

“Well… I’m not too sure if I should explain this one…” Akira spoke, thoughtfully. “Perhaps this ride would be a better experience if you went in…  _ blind _ , so to speak.”

“Ooh, I like the sound of that!” Sumire gleamed excitedly, before a suspicious look appeared on her face. “Akira… you’re seeming awfully vague…”

“Am I?” He answered, with a smirk on his face, watching his girlfriend squirm next to him, partially from making her blush and slightly because of fear. “Oh, I forgot to mention, the queue for Haunted Mansion is split into rooms, and the rooms are like a part of the ride.”

“Really? That’s amazing!” Sumire gasped in surprise, before turning towards her boyfriend only to see him nod in response. “That sounds so cool!”

“This ride is like no other… so prepare to be scared…  _ mein fräulein _ .”

Sumire shuddered as Akira whispered in her right ear before leaning back and chuckling at her predicament before they entered the first room, the both of them jumping in surprise as the doors closed behind them with a slam. Sumire immediately clung onto Akira’s arm out of instinct, and Akira could only sigh with a light smile before using his other hand to reach out and stroke her hair.

“Don’t worry, love. I’m here with you, alright? You have nothing to fear.” Akira comforted her, as she nodded a little shakily, loosening her death grip around his arm a little.

“Right! I have nothing to fear with you by my side, Akira-senpai.” Sumire wrapped her arms around his own, immobilizing his right arm as he could only chuckle. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, nothing.” Akira spoke with as straight a face as he could muster as he attempted to hold back his laughing fit. “I just find it cute that even though you say you have nothing to fear, you still cling to my arm.”

“O-Oh! Uh… Hehe…” Sumire blushed a shade of dark crimson, continuing to hold her arms in place, not letting go of her boyfriend’s arm. “I… just like holding you… it makes me feel safe, Senpai…”

“I can understand, it is  _ me _ after all.” Akira whispered to her with a shit-eating grin on his face which only made Sumire roll her eyes playfully.

_ “Welcome foolish mortals to the Haunted Mansion!” Came an eerily sounding voice, the location of the source unknown to the guests of the mansion. “I am your host, your Ghost Host. Please, do step all the way in and make room for everyone. There’s no turning back now, after all. Our tour begins here in this gallery, where you see paintings of some of our guests in their corruptible, mortal state.” _

The room started to stretch vertically, the walls getting taller and the ceiling somehow getting further and further away from the mansion’s guests. Sumire could only gaze up in awe and shock as she watched the ceiling somehow increase in distance away from her in front of her very eyes.

_ “Is the room actually stretching? Or is your mind playing tricks on you?” The Ghost Host asked with a snicker. “Now I’ll present you with a challenge. This room has no windows, and likewise, it has no doors. Do you think you can find a way out? MWAHAHAHAHA!” _

The paintings on the walls soon started to reveal their true colours, each depicting a creepier image than the one before as they were stretched to their limits, now showing each person within the paintings in a petrifying and macabre situation. 

_ “Of course, there is always MY way…” Ghost Host sneered at the guests in the room as the lights immediately went out with the sound of thunder. A high-pitched scream echoed throughout the room as a corpse hanging from the ceiling was shown between brief flickers of lightning that lit up the room for split seconds, as the doors to the next room flew open at frightening speeds. _

_ “Oh, I didn’t mean to frighten you prematurely. The real chills come later. Now as they say… ‘look alive’, and we’ll continue our tour. Let’s all stay together,  _ **_please_ ** _.” _

The guests started to move out of the stretched room one by one, some amused, others slightly disturbed, as Akira started to follow suit, with his girlfriend close behind him.

Entering an impossibly long hallway full of paintings and mirrors, they were escorted by the Ghost Host and several other ghosts who merely mocked the guests with maniacal laughter while bringing them down the corridor.

_ “There are several prominent ghosts who have retired here from creepy old crypts all over the world.” The Ghost Host taunted snarkily. “Actually, we have 999 happy haunts here, but of course, there’s  _ **_always_ ** _ room for 1 more…” _

_ The Ghost Host laughed to himself before continuing to speak in an eerie voice. “Any volunteers? If you insist on lagging behind, you may not  _ **_need_ ** _ to volunteer…” _

The corridor soon ended as they reached the boarding station, as the guests in front of them were helped into what Akira called the ‘Doom Buggies’, the assigned name for the car of this ride as the two of them patiently waited for their turn.

_ “A carriage now approaches to take you into the boundless realm of the supernatural. Take your loved ones by the hand, please, and kindly watch your step. Oh, and no flash pictures,  _ **_please_ ** _. We spirits are particularly sensitive to bright lights.” _

Akira got into the Doom Buggy first as he offered his hand to Sumire, who clearly took the hint and started blushing a dark shade of crimson.

“You sure you’re up for this, darling?” Akira asked comfortingly as she stepped into the car.

“H-Huh?! What do you mean, Senpai? Of course I am! Why do you ask?” Sumire yelped defensively, as her boyfriend shrugged his shoulders and chuckled lightly.

“I’m just asking, sweetheart. You seem a little… jumpy?”

“Well I’m not too good with horror myself… But I’m sure I’ll be okay with you by my side, Akira!” Sumire eagerly gave him a reassuring smile, taking him by the hand as she sat down next to him in their Doom Buggy.

_ “Do not pull down on the safety bar,  _ **_I_ ** _ will lower it for you. Oh, and a fair warning for all you adventurers, the spirits will only materialize  _ **_if_ ** _ you remain seated with your hands, arms, feet and legs inside the Doom Buggy.”  _

As their Ghost Host continued to narrate their tour of the Haunted Mansion, Sumire clutched Akira’s hand tightly with both of her own as she continued to gaze at the haunted sights with a look of interest, occasionally jumping a little from a spirit coming at them from an unknown angle. Akira continued to watch his girlfriend with amusement as she held his hand closer to her heart for comfort.

_ “Mom! T-There are so many of them!” A young Akira whispered to his mother in fright as the Ghost Host continued to narrate their journey through the ballroom, before entering the attic of the Haunted Mansion. “I’m scared Mom…” _

_ “Don’t worry sweetheart, they aren’t allowed to leave the mansion. We’ll protect you at home, okay?” His mother replied in her soothing and calm voice as she ran her fingers through his hair and ruffled it up.  _

_ “Or maybe…” His father started with a grin, seeing Akira turn to him with a look of excitement hidden behind fear. “A friendly ghost will haunt your way back home!” _

_ “Dad!” _

_ “Now now, love,” His mother chuckled lightly as they reached the end of the tour. “Let’s not frighten Akira, alright?” _

_ “Only joking, darling.”  _

Akira snapped out of his reminiscent thoughts as they neared the end of the ride, exiting a graveyard filled to the brim with ghosts, as the Ghost Host returned once more to send off his final regards to his mortal visitors.

_ “Ah, there you are! And just in time… there’s a little matter I forgot to mention: beware of hitchhiking ghosts!” The Ghost Host sniggered as they passed by a group of ghosts, looking to hitch a ride with an unsuspecting traveller as the Doom Buggies passed by without slowing down. “They have selected  _ **_you_ ** _ to fill their quota, and they’ll haunt you until you return!” _

Passing by a wall of mirrors for the final stretch, the Ghost Host taunted them once more as the Doom Buggies turned to face the wall, revealing a ghost who seemed to be sitting next to them in the mirror as Sumire jumped and turned to face her boyfriend who only chuckled at her reaction.

“Senpai! Don’t laugh! I was really scared, you know…” Sumire pouted, puffing out her cheeks.

“Sorry, sorry… You’re really cute when you get scared.” Akira laughed in response as Sumire froze, her face slowly turning a dark red, unable to formulate a valid response. 

_ “Now  _ **_I_ ** _ will raise the safety bar, and a ghost will follow you home!” The Ghost Host sent them on their way as the safety bars lifted.  _

Sumire got out first, still a little shaky but bolstering a blush and a smile on her face as she waited for her boyfriend to get out before immediately clinging to his arm again as they walked past another ghost above the doorway on their way out.

_ “Hurry back! Be sure to bring your death certificate… if you decide to join us. Make the final arrangements now! We’ve been  _ **_dying_ ** _ to have you…” _

“So… how was it, sweetheart?” Akira asked, looking his girlfriend in the eye as she turned to face him, still clinging onto his arm as they made their way outside, the sun starting to set as it neared the 6PM mark. “Did you like the Haunted Mansion?”

“It was really fun, Senpai! As long as I had you the whole way through, I wasn’t frightened at all!” Sumire responded with a large smile and on her face as Akira only pointed at his arm, before she got the hint and quickly let go. “Oh! I’m sorry, Akira! Is your arm okay?”

“Yeah, just a little numb, that’s all…” Akira let out a light chuckle as he shook his arm a little bit to get the blood pumping again. “Anyways, it’s almost 6PM already… Do you wanna get some dinner?”

“Oh! Now that you mention it… I am a little hungry for more than just churros…” Sumire’s stomach growled in agreement, as she shook her head in embarrassment. “What do you wanna eat, Akira?”

“Hmm… I guess it would only be fair for me to decide, since you decided on our lunch which, mind you, was an amazing decision…” 

“Keep talking hot-shot. Keep talking~. So, where to?”

“Well… I was thinking…”

_ Take Your Time _

“Mmmm… Akira?”

“What is it, love?” 

“Is it time for the fireworks yet?”

“There’s about 5 minutes left. Did you manage to rest?”

“I did, thanks to you~.”

Sumire gave him a peck on the cheek as she rubbed her eyes a little sleepily, before putting her glasses back on and leaning her head back on his shoulder, perfectly content with the situation staying as it did. The two of them decided to dine at one of the higher end restaurants which Akira had insisted on while his girlfriend flushed a deep shade of red, while telling him that it wasn’t necessary. She ended up reluctantly agreeing to his proposal as they sat down for their last meal of the day. After a few romantic exchanges and a couple of cheesy lines from Akira, they finished their food and left soon after Akira paid the bill.

“Thanks for borrowing me your shoulder, Akira…” Yawned Sumire as she did a small stretch. “I got a really good power nap!”

“I can tell, although you still seem a little sleepy to me.” Akira teased, moving a stray strand of hair out of her face before standing up and turning around to face his girlfriend. 

A brief moment of silence passed as Sumire looked curiously at Akira before he smiled, and offered his hand to her, saying but one thing.

“Remember that day at the school festival? You extended your hand to a friend, and offered me a dance. An offer that I hastily, and now regretfully declined. Now, I’m making an offer to my girlfriend, in hopes that she wouldn’t make the same mistake that I did.”

Akira shook his head, taking a pause for a deep breath, as his girlfriend stared at him in shock, using her hand to wipe a few tears from her eyes. 

“So, Sumire… Would you like to spend these final moments together?”

Sumire was left speechless, mouth agape, and tears forming in her eyes as she extended her hand and graciously, taking her boyfriend’s hand with a smile forming on her face. 

“I… I would love to, Senpai…” 

A single firework went off in the distance behind them as the two turned to face it, enjoying the fireworks show through till the end, basking in the crackle and glow of the fireworks before them. The bright colors flew through the sky, illuminating the entirety of Destinyland until it finally came to an end with the Destinyland signature, the silhouette of Mikey mouse shining over their heads. Akira turned to face his girlfriend as he soon proceeded to envelop her in a hug, to which she gladly sank into, her boyfriend’s comfort more than enough for her to shed a few tears of happiness.

Sumire sighed as they broke from the hug, wiping a few tears from her still smiling face. “I really enjoyed the fireworks show Akira… It was well worth the wait…”

“I did as well, sweetheart. It’s been a long time since we’ve truly had a day for just the two of us, and I couldn’t have asked for any more.” Akira replied with a heartfelt smile before he gave her a pack of tissues. “I love you, darling… I hope you enjoyed today as much as I did…”

“You know I did… Today was the best day I’ve ever spent with you so far Senpai... “

“I’m glad to hear that, love. Shall we head back home?”

“Lead the way, my knight in shining armor…”

Akira shook his head, hoping that his girlfriend didn’t notice the light blush that appeared on his face as they walked hand in hand making their way back towards the entrance. Taking in the scenery of the World Bazaar one last time, the two of them finally stepped out together, breathing a sigh of relief as they both stared at each other lovingly, before taking their walk back to the station. Thankfully, they didn’t have to wait long for the train to pull into the station as they quickly found seats at the very end of the carriage, taking their places as Sumire immediately sought comfort on Akira’s shoulders next to her.

“Wake me up when we’re at the transfer, okay Akira?” 

“Of course. You must be really tired after today. Get some rest if you want to, darling.”

“Mmm… I’ll do just that… night night…”

“Rest well, sweetheart...”

Akira played with his girlfriend’s hair as he waited for her to slowly doze off on his shoulder before he took out his phone, trying not to move his arms too much before realising that his IMs were flooded with messages from his friends in the Phantom Thieves Group Chat. He smiled to himself as he scrolled through the messages, catching up on what his ex-team has been up to while he was gone. Right before he closed the IM app, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Futaba had sent him a message. Sighing with a slight grin on his face, he opened up his private messages with the orange haired hacker, who no doubtedly waited until she saw his status turn green, signifying that he was online before hitting him with an immediate message.

_ Private Message (FeatherCyanIsInnocent and BeneathTheMask) _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Yooooo Akiraaaa~! I have something for you~ _

_ BeneathTheMask: Hey Taba. What’s up? _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Weellll… you know how you and Sumire were at Destinyland today? _

_ BeneathTheMask: Well, it was my idea. What of it? _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: I… may or may not have asked a certain someone to… keep an eye on you for today ;D _

Akira sighed, knowing that he should have expected it, given that Futaba still has Leblanc wiretapped, yet he still couldn’t bring himself to be mad at her, no matter how many times she crossed the boundary they both had set. 

_ BeneathTheMask: Futaba. Haven’t I mentioned that what Sumire and I do in our free time is  _ **_not_ ** _ to be spied on unless given our clear consent? _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Look I’m sorry, okay? But I swear I didn’t peek in on your guy’s private time! Before you get mad, I actually wanted to show you something that I think you’ll be pre-tty thankful to me for.  _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: So, ya ready? _

_ BeneathTheMask: You’d still show it to me even if I said no, wouldn’t you? _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Yep! Here you go! Thank me later ;) _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent sent an image: _

_ _

Akira stared in disbelief looking at the picture that Futaba had sent. A small part of him had regretted not having a photo taken at the time, for memories sake, but what Futaba had just sent him was a secret wish he had come true as he smiled to himself, giving his girlfriend a kiss on her head, before he went back to texting Futaba.

_ BeneathTheMask: Futaba… how did you… _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: You’re welcome~! I knew you would harbor an eensy tiny little bit of regret if you never managed to get a photo of this moment, which might I add, was suuuper romantic to watch. I mean, you could’ve asked her to marry you and she probably would’ve said yes! _

_ BeneathTheMask: Futaba! We’ve talked about this! _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Right. Sorry. Anyways I hope you like it! _

_ BeneathTheMask: Honestly if this didn’t result in you saving one of my most precious moments with Sumire, you would have a whole lot more than a “Thank you” coming your way, so you’d better be grateful.  _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Mhm. Suuure Akira. Anyways, you’re welcome!  _

_ BeneathTheMask: Thank you… I really appreciate it… _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Anyways, I’m gonna assume that the both of you are on your way back to Leblance right about now, would I be right? _

_ BeneathTheMask: Yeah, what about it? _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Oh, nothing, nothing… I’ll just make sure to uh… turn off my wiretaps for tonight. I’m sure I’ve already caused enough trouble… mwehehe _

_ BeneathTheMask: I think we’d both appreciate it, Futaba. Thank you again. _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Time to make like a tyre and hit the road! _

_ FeatherCyanIsInnocent has gone offline _

Akira shook his head in pure disbelief before quietly saving the photo to his phone as he took out a pair of earphones and plugged them into his phone, turning on some relaxing music to accompany him on the journey towards their transfer.

_ Take Your Time _

“ _ Shimbashi. This is Shimbasi.” _

Akira opened his eyes and unplugged his earphones, before shaking his girlfriend awake lightly. Sumire yawned subtly and opened her eyes slowly before giving her boyfriend a kiss on the cheek, making him blush a light shade of red.

“Heya, cutie.” Sumire rubbed her eyes as she attempted to flirt lightly with her boyfriend.

“Who’re you calling a cutie, sleepyhead?” Akira shot back before letting a smile crack on his face as they exited the train, taking their time to walk towards the next line. “Did you manage to rest? I know you must’ve been worn out after today…”

“Don’t worry about me Akira, I slept as sound as a log!” Sumire replied earnestly, reassuring him that she was fine as she put on a radiant smile. “Maybe I managed to rest so well because I had my boyfriend right next to me~.”

“A-Anyways, moving on…” Akira gave a weak attempt at changing the topic, to which Sumire giggled at before letting him off the hook, giving him a hug. “I have some… news.”

“Oh, is it good news?” Sumire perked up, her tiredness from before seeming to have vanished as she looked at him with interest. “Did this happen while I was sleeping?”

“Well… you see…”

Akira decided to tell Sumire about what happened between him and Futaba as they made their way over to their station, earning a very surprised look from his girlfriend, who reacted nearly the same way that he did when he told her about what she did.

“Futaba-chan did  _ what _ ?!” Sumire exclaimed a little too loud, as Akira hushed her a little, before continuing with his story. 

“Yeah. That happened, and somehow as an ex-Phantom Thief, I find it hard to believe that I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary…” Akira sighed as Sumire shook her head.

“I can’t really bring myself to blame her though, and I think neither can you, right Senpai?” Sumire asked as Akira responded with a quick nod of his head. “I think we’ll just let this one slide under the rug, for the better of both sides.”

“You and me both.” Agreed Akira as they finally made it towards their station and, as luck would have it, their train was already there, waiting to leave. The two of them found seats and quietly sat down as Sumire ‘borrowed’ his shoulder once again as they set off for Shibuya station before making their way back to Leblanc.

_ Take Your Time _

The door to cafe Leblanc opened with a slight creak as the bell above their heads played the same tune as it usually does, announcing the arrival or leave of a customer. Akira and Sumire both quickly made their ways upstairs and turned on the lights before Akira started to set up the futon. Sumire took the hint, grabbing a fresh set of clothes and her toiletries and made her way towards the bathroom downstairs, looking to freshen up a little before going to sleep. 

Akira yawned as he sat at his old desk, the dents in the table bringing back old memories of crafting infiltration tools as he sat at this very desk with Morgana. He sighed to himself as he soon heard the bathroom door downstairs squeak open, and soon his girlfriend walked up the stairs rubbing her eyes.

“Your turn, Akira. Don’t keep me waiting too long, okay?”

“You have my word, sweetheart.”

Akira soon made his way downstairs with a change of clothes in hand as Sumire heard the door to the bathroom shut. Taking the time to look around her boyfriend’s old room, she admired all of the belongings that Sojiro had kept clean in his absence. She couldn’t help but draw her eyes to his shelf, to which all of the numerous presents he had received from his confidants remained, polished and clean. Next to it the shelf was a poster of a famous idol and a potted plant that seemed like it could be doing a little better. Sumire sighed as she sat on the futon and took out her phone, checking the group chat and scrolling through the messages sent by the team.

Before long, the bathroom door creaked open and Sumire heard the light turn off as she saw her boyfriend in his regular clothes walk up the set of stairs, yawning. Sumire shook her head as she too began to yawn.

“Akira! You know that’s contagious…” Sumire hit him playfully as she yawned causing Akira to raise his arms playfully in defense.

“Sorry, sorry… I couldn’t help it…” 

“I know, I was only messing with you.”

After a little bit of light chit-chat, the two of them started getting ready to turn in for the night as Sumire took off her glasses and placed them on the table next to her before taking Akira’s with a cheeky giggle and doing the same.

“Hey! Sumire!”

“Nuh uh. You need some rest after today.”

“You too, huh?”

The two of them chuckled lightly as Akira turned off the light and made himself comfortable before giving his girlfriend a quick goodnight kiss as he tucked her in for the night.

“Goodnight Sumire. I hope you sleep well…”

“You too Akira. Sleep well…”

“I love you…”

“I love you too. Night night…”

Sumire soon fell asleep as Akira continued to gaze at her, watching over her as she slept as he gave her one last kiss and turned in for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So um... yeah... about that "next week or two"...  
> I'm so sorry to everyone I kept waiting for the part 2 of this Destinyland chapter, although I hope you all enjoyed it nevertheless. Exams and stuff really do be like that, but I'll try to keep this update schedule consistent or I might even post a little more frequently in the future. Thank you all for every single Kudos, Subscription and Comment. It really means a lot and you wouldn't know the motivation it gives until you receive one yourself. Hope you all look forward to the next chapter!
> 
> Special thanks to Tharon (RainyDays Sunset Hours) for proof-reading and Shyne (https://twitter.com/Shynepls) for this amazing commission and the extra motivation once again. I'll see you all in the next chapter!


	12. A Promise Fulfilled

Sumire woke up early the next morning, as she yawned quietly and rubbed her eyes, before reaching for her glasses on the floor next to her. Noticing her boyfriend was still asleep, she picked up her phone and scrolled through her messages reminiscing of her past conversations with all of her now close friends. The year without Akira was a little rough, as he couldn’t find the time to visit Tokyo, having to study for his third year and his entrance exams all while maintaining a perfect score at the top of his class. Sumire would always wait for hours on end for a text or a voicemail from Akira and she would find herself checking her phone out of habit every couple of hours, hoping in anticipation for a message from her boyfriend. She knew that he missed her as much as she did when they weren’t together, but Sumire couldn’t help but wonder if her love for him was never reciprocated, even though she knew full well that wasn’t the case. Shaking her head a little, she scrolled through the Phantom Thieves group chat, going through their past lively and goofy conversations as she cracked a smile, waiting for her boyfriend to awaken from his sleep.

_Take Your Time_

Akira woke from his pleasant dream with a smile on his face before he stretched his arms and legs, yawning a little as he reached for his phone to check the time. Seeing that it was still relatively early in the morning, he decided to lay in his bed for a couple more minutes before he woke up for the day.

Not long after, Akira heard the bathroom door open downstairs as he sighed, and got out of the futon to fold it up. He watched his staircase as he heard footsteps trotting up and he saw his girlfriend’s red hair slowly rise higher, making her face soon visible as she gave him a smile.

“Good morning Akira!”

“Morning, Sumire. How was your sleep?”

“I slept really well! I couldn’t stop thinking about our date yesterday, so it was a little difficult to fall asleep, but besides that it was great!”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it as much as I did, sweetheart.”

The two of them hugged briefly as Akira denied a kiss on the lips and settled for a kiss on the cheek each, claiming that his breath wouldn’t have smelled good before brushing his teeth, to which his girlfriend pouted slightly but let slide. He made his way downstairs with a smile on his face as he entered the bathroom and started his morning routine.

As Sumire lay in her boyfriend’s room for the third time in only a few weeks, she smiled to herself, wondering how she had gotten so lucky to have a boyfriend as amazing and as perfect as Akira before she shook herself out of daydream mode, and got up to change into her regular clothes. 

After changing out of her usual Featherman PJs, she grabbed her phone off the table and to her surprise she found a few notifications awaiting her from multiple chat rooms. She giggled to herself quietly as she proceeded to enter the Phantom Thieves group chat, looking for an opportune moment to slide into the conversation.

_Phantom Thieves Group Chat_

_FistOfThePhantomStar: Ryuji for the last time, there’s a respectable line to draw when asking about details._

_Runnin’FromCops: But then what about Futaba?_

_FistOfThePhantomStar: Futaba is an exception, and I’m sure she knows well that she crossed the line too._

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Yeah… I kinda feel bad about it now, but Akira did tell me that he’d let this one slide…_

_SumiEvergarden: Hey everyone! Whatcha guys talking about?_

_RollOfFloof: Oh, hey Sumi-chan! We were um…_

_StarvingForArt: We were discussing how Ryuji was potentially stepping over a figurative yet well known line about privacy in things such as, and also involving the details of your date with Akira yesterday._

_Runnin’FromCops: Man! You didn’t have to say it like that! Well, now that you put it that way, I guess it does seem kinda bad…_

_SumiEvergarden: Oh, I see… Well Ryuji, if you really wanted to know, you could’ve just asked Akira, or even myself._

_BeneathTheMask: Not that you’d ever let me speak of what happens on our dates together, or even speak of it yourself for that matter <3 _

_SumiEvergarden: Hey! Akira!_

_BeneathTheMask: Sorry Ryuji, or to anyone else that’s curious for that matter. What happens on our dates stays between us, with only a very few exceptions._

_BurnMyDread: No need for apologies, you two. We totally get it, right Ryuji?_

_Runnin’FromCops: Uh, Yeah! Of course!_

_RollOfFloof: Ann’s right! Everybody needs a little privacy sometimes._

_BeneathTheMask: On a different note, what’s everyone up to today?_

_RollOfFloof: I’m taking care of my newly grown flowers! Coincidentally, one of them happens to be a Violet!_

_SumiEvergarden: Really? I need to come and visit you some time, Haru. I would love to help you with your garden one day!_

_RollOfFloof: Of course! Just let me know!_

_Runnin’FromCops: I’m currently takin’ a jog around my neighbourhood, just to clear the mind a little and give my body a good wake-up call._

_FistOfThePhantomStar: I’m working on an assignment that I’ve been procrastinating on since the beginning of our break, and yes, I procrastinated on it._

_BeneathTheMask: You? Procrastinate? Well, I guess there’s a first time for everything._

_FistOfThePhantomStar: Hey! Just because I’m a star student, that doesn’t mean I can’t procrastinate on my work like everyone else! I’m human too you know!_

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent: ...Really?_

_FistOfThePhantomStar: *sigh* Never mind…_

_StarvingForArt: Anyways, I’m currently working on my next piece, as the art exhibit draws ever so close._

_SumiEvergarden: Oh, right! I nearly forgot that you were having one of your art pieces going on display! How far into completion is it, Yusuke?_

_StarvingForArt: It should be finished precisely one week before the exhibit’s opening day. I shall be inviting Akira over for a final glimpse, if that’s alright with him._

_BeneathTheMask: Oh, of course Yusuke! I’d be happy to see what you’ve done with the piece since that day._

_BurnMyBread: I’ve been cooped up at home, no modelling gig for me today! Although I guess I shouldn’t really be celebrating… But it is a day off, so I can’t really complain…_

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent: I’m heading over with Sojiro in a little bit, Akira! Make sure you and Sumire aren’t doing anything suspicious~_

_SumiEvergarden: We aren’t!_

_BeneathTheMask: We aren’t!_

Sumire looked up and realised that her boyfriend had long since come upstairs after brushing his teeth and changed into his regular daily attire. They both blushed slightly, not saying a word as they returned to the group chat, silently making their way downstairs as Akira got to work on the morning’s coffee.

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Uh huh._

_FistOfThePhantomStar: ...Right._

_BurnMyBread: ...Sure._

_BeneathTheMask: Forget it, you guys are doing this on purpose >:( _

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Sorry Akira :P, But anyways Sojiro and I will be there soon, and we’re bringing Mona :D_

_SumiEvergarden: Oh, right! How was taking care of Morgana? I hope he didn’t cause you too much trouble!_

_BeneathTheMask: You say that like he’s already your cat…_

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Morgana’s been really well behaved! We were watching some anime together, even! He seems to really enjoy KonoSuba, he just couldn’t stop laughing!_

_BeneathTheMask: Oh, good taste._

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Right?!_

_Runnin’FromCops: Oh, shit! I forgot I had some errands to run for my mom today, I gotta go! Catch ya guys later!_

_Runnin’FromCops has gone offline_

_StarvingForArt: I shall take my leave too to work on my piece. As they say, au revoir._

_StarvingForArt has gone offline_

_FistOfThePhantomStar: I have an assignment I need to finish up on, which I got distracted from after this conversation started. I’ll see you guys later!_

_FistOfThePhantomStar has gone offline_

_RollOfFloof: I’ll be going too, my garden needs a little polishing if I want to make sure my flowers can bloom to their fullest potential. Goodbye Akira-kun, Sumi-chan, Futaba-chan and Ann-chan!_

_BeneathTheMask: See ya Haru!_

_BurnMyBread: Byeee!_

_SumiEvergarden: Take care Haru!_

_FeatherCyanIsInnocent: o/_

_RollOfFloof has gone offline_

_SumiEvergarden: Ann? What about you?_

_BurnMyBread: Oh, I don’t really have anything to do today, I might check to see if Shiho’s available, but if she isn’t, I guess I’ll be at home for a while…_

_BeneathTheMask: Fair enough, I hope you manage to find something to do. Remember that Leblanc’s always open, so drop by if you’re ever too bored._

_BurnMyBread: Thanks Akira. I think I’ll message Shiho just to check. See you guys!_

_BurnMyBread has gone offline_

Sumire looked up from her phone to find that Akira was already pouring a cup of coffee for her with a smile on his face before pouring a cup for himself and an extra one that he set on the counter, soon moving away towards the fridge to look for ingredients as he started preparing some curry for breakfast.

“How’s the coffee, sweetheart?” Akira asked his girlfriend with a slight look of confidence as she giggled and took a sip. 

“It’s perfect! Thank you, Akira. Your coffee is _always_ delicious!” Sumire praised him as a light blush appeared on his face before it quickly disappeared from his face as Sojiro walked in with Futaba and Morgana.

“Hey there kiddo, Sumire-san.” Sojiro greeted somewhat formally as he walked towards the cup of coffee set on the counter just a minute beforehand and took a sip of his cup before sighing in content. “Not bad, kid. You’ve still got it in you. It’s a good thing that what I taught you all those years back still stays fresh in your memory. The curry smells delicious too.”

“I second that!” Futaba chimed in as she took a seat at a booth, opening up her laptop and browsing through Steam. “I can’t wait to have some curry for breakfast! It’s been _ages_ since Sojiro last cooked some curry for me!”

“Hey now, I can’t have you eating my curry every day! Think about your diet! Didn’t you say you wanted to work on that?” Sojiro exclaimed indignantly, as Futaba stuck out her tongue in response. Sojiro only shook his head at her response as he drank a little more of his coffee with a light smile on his face. “So kid, got any plans for today?”

Akira simply shrugged. “Not really. After yesterday, I’m taking a break. I was fully exhausted after bringing this one,” He motioned to Sumire, “around the entirety of Destinyland.”

Sumire blushed a little at the mention of their date the day before as she reached for her cup of coffee and took a sip. Akira seemed to have noticed, but made no further comments, presumably to save her from an embarrassing moment in front of Futaba or Sojiro. “I really enjoyed that date yesterday, Akira. I don’t know how I could thank you enough.”

“Seeing you happy is enough thanks for me, darling.” Akira replied smoothly as Sojiro let out a chuckle. “What, Boss? Can’t flirt with my own girlfriend, can I?”

“No no, nothing of the sort. I’m just happy for the two of you. Don’t lose her, alright?”

“I wouldn’t dream of it. She means everything to me and I definitely plan on keeping it that way.”

Sojiro nodded his head. “Good.” He turned around to Sumire, “Sumire-san, how’s he been treating you?”

Sumire felt her cheeks turn red for the umpteenth time within the last week as she responded enthusiastically. “Akira’s been nothing but the best for me over our entire relationship! I wouldn’t give him up for the world!”

“Spoken like a true couple in love…” Futaba sighed a little dreamily as Morgana snickered on the table in front of her. “I wonder when I’ll get a boyfriend…”

“Not that the chief will ever let you get one if he could help it!” Morgana did his signature laugh as Akira snorted at the joke made at Sojiro’s expense. Although unfortunately for Morgana, Sojiro had caught wind of the distinct meowing and soon it became a back and forth battle between the two, consisting of many meows and indignant lines coming from both ends.

Akira shook his head as he turned to Sumire. “So. You’re gonna be pretty busy for the next couple of days, right? With practice and all?”

Sumire nodded, as her smile slowly disappeared and was replaced with an emotion that Akira could only describe as bittersweet. He knew that she wanted to be able to spend more time with him before the school year started again, yet he still felt helpless at the inevitability that his girlfriend would be busy at certain times due to her frequent need to practice her gymnastic skills.

“Yeah… Coach Hiraguchi says I’ve had a long enough break. She doesn’t want me to get rusty.” Sumire answered before noticing Akira’s bittersweet smile. “Don’t worry, Akira. It won’t be long, alright?”

“Right. Sorry… it’s just that I wanted to spend a little more time with you, after not seeing you for so long and all…”

“It’s okay, I totally get it Akira. Remember, you’re speaking to someone else who loves you as much as you love me. If anyone would know how you feel, it’d be me. I’ll be back before you know it. Promise.”

“I appreciate it.”

_Take Your Time_

After finishing up their breakfast of signature Leblanc curry prepared by Akira and a little help from Sojiro, Sumire politely said her goodbyes and left the Leblanc family as she headed off to practice for the day. Akira waved goodbye after being stunned at the kiss on the cheek he received from her yet again in the same position, catching him off guard the same way it did before. Sumire giggled, knowing exactly what she’d done and closed the door of Leblanc with a wave. Sojiro shook his head with a proud smile as Futaba and Morgana snickered in good fun.

“How was it, Akira? Was the second better than the first?” Morgana asked with a smirk as Akira blushed a little and sat down opposite Futaba in the booth.

Akira was quick to retort, the blush quickly fading from his face as it was replaced with an embarrassed smile. “Shush, Mona. You do realise that _I’m_ the one taking care of you, right?”

“A-Anyways, do either of you have any plans for today?”

Akira chuckled as he knew he had the cat’s tongue, contrary to the cliche phrase, giving his reply as straight faced as he knew how. “Not really. I guess I could meet up with Ann if she didn’t get a confirmation from Shiho, but even that’s an if. What about you, Futaba?”

“Oh, I’ll be a little busy for today, I’ve got a group project to work on and I haven’t done my bit yet. I need to take today and tomorrow to finish it off!” Futaba exclaimed, trying to sound excited, as she slumped back into her chair, a bored expression appearing on her face as she tapped away on her laptop. “How do people manage to get so hyped up about projects? They take sooooo long to do!”

Akira soon went back up to his room, acknowledging Futaba’s pain with a few motivating words, even offering a tempting reward for a job well done as her eyes lit up in excitement, immediately starting her assignments with no further complaints. Akira sighed as he lay down on his bed, with Morgana soon following suit as he lay at Akira’s feet.

“Do you have anything to do for the rest of the morning, or will you laze around doing nothing?” Morgana asked with a condescending tone.

“It’s not like you’re doing anything either, so zip it.” Akira sighed in an annoyed tone, before he pulled out his phone. “Oh, I got a message from Ann. It seems Shiho isn’t free so she’s lazing around too.”

“Oh? You’re meeting up with Lady Ann?” Morgana perked up at the mention of Ann. “Can I join too?”

“It’s been a while since I’ve spent some time with you as well. You can come along if you want to.” Akira shrugged, inviting his feline companion to join in as Morgana’s eyes lit up in delight.

“So, where are we meeting her? What are we eating? Where are we going?” Morgana shot question after question in pure excitement as Akira shook his head with a smile.

“Calm down Morgana, we’ll arrange the details later. Let me rest a little, alright? I’m really tired from yesterday and could use a small nap.” Akira calmed his cat down and lay back down on his pillow. “Goodnight Morgana.”

“But but! Lady Ann! She’ll be waiting for you… and and… my fatty tuna!” Morgana cried to no one in particular as Akira smirked and started to close his eyes, drifting off into sleep.

_Take Your Time_

_Akira awoke with a start as he noticed the darkened sky outside his window, as he yawned and put on his glasses instinctively. The cafe was quiet, and Morgana had seemingly left his side for a reason unbeknownst to Akira._

_“Why now?” Akira muttered to himself, as he slowly stood up from his bed, as the floorboards creaked, filling the eerie void with sound once again as he paused, hearing the bell on the door to Leblanc ring below him._

_Akira shook his head, as he tried to calm his nerves, slowly making his way down the stairs, one step at a time. Before he made it to the final step, he heard a laugh. One he hadn’t heard since his last nightmare._

_“Akira? Is that you? Come sit down, and pour us a cup of coffee, would you? I’d like to have a little chat.”_

_Akira froze, as he had yet to make his way onto the final step. He stood there clueless as to how this person had managed to know he was there when the cafe was nearly deserted, before sighing and stepping out, revealing himself to this ‘intruder’_

_“Ah, there you are. I’ll have a house blend, please.”_

_Akira stood motionless, as he stared at his customer, his thoughts rushing through his head at unfathomable speeds. However, only one thought constantly ran through his mind again and again._

_Why now? Of all times?_

_He had always had dreams of meeting Akechi, and the nightmares of his choice on February 2nd, but only ever after moving back to Tokyo had they been this prevalent. So why now?_

_“A-Akechi…” Akira tried to form a sentence, but nothing else came out. Akechi only let out a light chuckle as he turned towards Akira._

_“Well, Akira. Is my coffee going to take all day?”_

_Akira cautiously made his way towards the shelf, and took a bag of beans down before starting to prepare Akechi’s house blend as Akechi watched him closely._

_“So, Akira. Have you figured anything out yet? I do believe the hints that I’ve provided should be sufficient enough to crack the case, wouldn’t you agree?” Akechi asked with his usual smile, as innocent as he could be, yet Akira couldn’t detect a hint of maliciousness._

_“The case? What case?” Akira asked carefully, as Akechi only laughed politely._

_“I really did expect better from my rival. You really still have_ **_no idea_ ** _?” Akechi emphasized, before looking directly at Akira, as he shook his head._

_Akira set Akechi’s order down in front of him at the table, as he watched his rival take a sip, sighing in content._

_“You really do make an excellent blend. I would say it’s nearly on par with Sakura-san’s.” Akechi offered a compliment as Akira thanked him warily, still unsure of his motives. Akechi however, could sense this as he chuckled dryly, trying to ease the tension._

_“Relax, Akira. I’m not here to fight you. If I were really trying to kill you, I would have killed you the moment you walked downstairs.” Akechi sipped at his coffee, prepared black, akin to his liking. “I merely dropped by to… well… catch up a little. Although seeing as you haven’t made much progress, there really isn’t much to talk about… How disappointing.”_

_Akira tried his hardest to think of his previous encounter with Akechi ever since arriving in Tokyo, he remembered the phrase that Akechi had scribbled onto a crossword puzzle, and he remembered the hint that he had left behind. “The object that you spoke of, Akechi… could it be used to grant wishes?”_

_“Ah, so you still remember. At least I wouldn’t have had to remind you again.” Akechi spoke in a condescending tone, irritating Akira a little before it seemed as though a light bulb lit up above his head, finally understanding the true meaning of Akechi’s hint._

_“Akechi… you couldn’t be talking about Jose’s wishing star… could you?”_

_“Ah, so you’ve figured it out. Splendid. I must say I enjoyed meeting here with you Akira. Our conversations always seem to turn out very intriguing. Thank you for the coffee.”_

_Akechi stood up and walked towards the entrance to Leblanc, turning around and offering Akira a simple smirk before he exited, leaving Akira speechless behind the counter, an empty cup of coffee left staring back at him._

_Take Your Time_

Akira awoke nearly two hours later with a heavy feeling on his chest and a taste of curry in his mouth as he yawned and sat up, with the heavy feeling on his chest suddenly falling onto his lap.

“Mreow! Hey! I was having a good rest!” Morgana whined as he rubbed his eyes with his paws before getting up to stretch. “How was it? Did you sleep well?”

“I feel… refreshed, actually. I did have a weird dream though, but that’s none of your concern.” Akira curtly replied as he got up from his bed and pulled out his phone.

“Heh, knowing you, it was probably a dream about going on a date with Sumire.” Morgana teased as he jumped off the bed. “Oh, right! We were supposed to meet Lady Ann!”

“Thanks for the reminder, partner. I nearly forgot about that.”

“You _forgot_? Since when have you been one to do that?!” Morgana exclaimed in surprise, prompting Akira to shake his head.

“I’ve had a lot on my mind, alright? Now let me call Ann. It’ll be better to get a hold of her now before she’s caught up with something else.”

After a few rings, he heard the line go through, and a bubbly voice greeting him from the other end of the line.

_“Hey Akira! I noticed you had left me on seen, so I was wondering about what happened.” Ann asked nonchalantly. “You had something to do?”_

“Oh, I just took a nap. I was really tired from yesterday, so I wanted a couple of zzz’s to energize me a little more.” Akira responded, as poker faced as possible, before he heard a giggle from the phone. “Hey! What’s so funny?”

_“Nothing nothing, Akira.” Ann giggled, trying to sound as innocent as possible. “How come you were so tired? Did you and Sumire get up to some… fun times last night?”_

“What?! No no no! Of course not!” Akira flushed a little, declining anything that his friend could be suggesting. “Even _if_ I wanted to, we were wayyy too spent last night. Besides, if we _were_ to do it, she’d be the one initiating, not me. I swear on my life.”

_“Alright alright, I get it Akira. No need to work up a sweat,” Ann chuckled lightly, as she attempted to stop herself from laughing to return to the topic at hand. “So, why’d you call me? I figured you’d just drop a text if you’d want to meet up or something.”_

“I figured that you might’ve had something to do, so I’d have better chances of reaching you with a call, rather than a text.” Akira shrugged. “So since it’s nearly lunchtime, what say you we grab lunch together? It’s been a while since we’ve been able to hang out together.”

_“Lunch? That sounds amazing right about now! I’m soo hungry!” Ann cheered, her mouth watering at the suggestion. “Where do you propose we go?”_

“How about a sushi place? Not like the one in Ginza, of course. That’s a little too expensive, even for me…” Akira sighed as he peered into his wallet, having nearly spent his entire week’s budget. “Do you have any recommendations?”

_“Oh, sushi? There’s a new sushi place that opened up in Kichijoji!” Ann replied, thoughtfully. “Shiho recommended the place as soon as I flew back to Japan, although we haven’t gotten to go since. Apparently the prices are super reasonable too! So what do you think?”_

“Kichijoji, eh? That’s perfect. We could shoot some billiards later if you want, too, just to pass the time.” Akira recommended. “Shall we meet at Central Square in 30?”

_“Make that 20. I can be ready in 10 minutes tops.” Ann answered, seeming very eager to get out of her house. “See you there, Akira!”_

“Right. It’s showtime!” Akira announced, as he heard a giggle from the other end of the phone before hearing the line click. Sliding his phone into his pocket, he got up from his bed, starting to prepare for his meet-up with Ann.

_Take Your Time_

Akira stood patiently in the main street in front of the bakery, tapping away on his phone as he scrolled through his notifications before putting it away and taking a long, deep breath. Morgana peeked his head out from his bag and looked around a little before they both saw Ann running towards them, clinging onto her purse in her usual red and white jacket as she finally stopped in front of Akira, panting a little. Akira chuckled, as did Morgana, to which Ann responded by pulling him into a hug.

“Hey Akira! Hey Morgana! I didn’t realise you’d be coming too, but I’m really happy to see you both!” Ann excitedly released Akira from her hug before taking Morgana out of his bag and giving him a hug too. “It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to hang out without the rest of the team… Don’t get me wrong, I _love_ meeting up with Makoto, Yusuke, and everyone else, but I really enjoy more of the quiet meetings sometimes… you know?”

Akira nodded in agreement. “I definitely agree. Sometimes a quiet chat does beat a large gathering. I do miss you all very much, but this does remind you of our old Shujin days, doesn’t it?”

Ann paused, thinking hard before her face lit up. “Oh yeah! The times when you helped me through my modelling and stuff! I remember you helped me stick it up to Mika, and how we managed to shoot together for that magazine! You really helped a lot with my confidence issues back then…”

Akira shrugged, pulling her in for a quick hug. “It was nothing, really. I was just helping a friend out. How’s the business been going? I’ve noticed you’re being called in a lot more for shoots. I take it things are going well?”

“Ever since that magazine debuted featuring Mika and I on the front cover? Things have been going great! I got a _ton_ of requests overseas too. It seems as though that magazine we featured in was a _little_ more popular than I thought it was.” Ann sheepishly smiled as Akira and Morgana stared at her quizzically. “Long story short, I was recognised by a few people at the transfer school I went to and then I got roped into a bunch of modelling gigs. I’ve since gotten less gigs after moving back here, but I kinda like it, actually.”

“I get what you mean. It’s a little more laid back, right?”

“Right! I don’t need to spend too much time working anymore, and I can kick back and relax on a couple of days a week. On the down side, sometimes it ends up like today, in which I wouldn’t have had anything to do, until you and Morgana showed up of course! Thanks for saving me, you two!”

“O-Oh it was no problem at all, Lady Ann!” Morgana spoke grandly, trying to be suave. “There’s no need to thank us, we’re gentlemen after all, right Akira?”

“Ha, sure. Whatever you say buddy.” Akira smirked as Ann giggled. “Anyways, shall we head over there? I’m sure you can lead for once, right?”

“Of course!” Ann spoke with composure before taking in a deep breath, and in her best Akira impression, took the lead. “ **_It’s showtime!_ **”

Akira started laughing as the three of them walked further into Kichijoji on their way to the restaurant while Ann and Morgana couldn’t resist joining in on the laughter as they followed Ann into Kichijoji.

_Take Your Time_

After a little bit of walking, they finally found the place they were looking for. Greeted by the friendly staff outside who walked them to their seats, Akira and Ann sat opposite each other as Akira let Morgana out of his bag for some fresh air. 

“Meow! Thank you! Now, where were we?” Morgana meowed, a little out of breath. “I believe we were talking about what to order?”

“Well, the menus are here, and we can take anything off the conveyor belt too!” Ann spoke, giddy with excitement. “Oooh! I just realised that our seats are really close to where the fresh sushi is put on the belt! Score!” 

“Oh oh! Akira! Grab some fatty tuna and some salmon off the conveyor belt for me!” Morgana pointed with his front paw as he noticed some tuna pass by them on the belt. 

“Should we order something, Ann? Do you wanna share anything?” Akira asked as he flipped through the menu, grabbing Morgana’s fatty tuna off the conveyor belt without batting an eye. “Should we start with some rolls?”

“Yeah! How about some California rolls?” Ann’s eyes lit up in glee as she proposed her idea to Akira. “The ones they make over here are really top quality!”

Akira punched in their order on the tablet the restaurant provided and kicked back, relaxing as the waiter came over and poured the both of them a glass of iced green tea. Taking a sip, Akira sighed in content, sinking back into his chair as Ann took a plate of tamago rolls off the belt.

“Help yourself, Akira. The bill’s on me, so eat as much as you like!”

“Wait, whaaa? No no no, I can’t let you do that!” Akira exclaimed, attempting to use his inside voice. “That’s too much. Sorry Ann, but that’s not gonna happen.”

“Awww! No fair!” Ann pouted, as she took a plate of salmon nigiri and placed it in front of Morgana, his eyes lighting up in delight. “You always used to treat us to meals during our time as second years, let me have a chance to pay you back!”

“Nope. Can’t be having that.” Akira smiled as innocently as he could. “You do remember that I was also the one that was keeping all the money from our Thieving, right? I was the person on which everybody agreed it would be best to settle our gear and equipment using the money we earned in the Metaverse, or did you forget?”

“Oh that’s right! I actually completely forgot about that…” Ann admitted, a little embarrassed at herself. “Alright then, you win Akira. I’ll let you have this one, although next time, it’ll be my treat!”

Akira chuckled. “Right. Now let’s dig in. Itadakimasu!”

_Take Your Time_

The three of them engaged in idle conversation, taking plate after plate from the conveyor belt, occasionally ordering a special plate of nigiri or a custom roll from the menu as they continued to enjoy their sushi. Neither Ann nor Akira and Morgana had eaten quality sushi in nearly a year, so they continued to eat on, eager to make the most of this opportunity.

“Mmmm! The soft-shelled crab tastes really good! You have to try this Akira!” Ann continued to devour her roll as she handed one to Akira. Akira thanked her and took the roll, dipping it in some soy sauce before taking a large bite out of it, and was immediately surprised by the flavors that entered his mouth. “It’s good, isn’t it?”

Akira tried to speak but nearly forgot he had his mouth still full, and started chewing, all the while savoring the taste of the roll in his mouth. “That tastes amazing! Definitely the best sushi I’ve had in years. Shiho really knows her stuff!”

“I agree! Although nothing beats the gourmet shop in Ginza, this is definitely some good stuff too!” Morgana expressed his agreement through mouthfuls of tuna rolls. “We really need to come here more often!”

Soon enough they ate until they couldn’t take another bite and attempted to finish off whatever they had left on their table, which consisted of a few extra nigiri pieces. Surprisingly, unbeknownst to both Ann and Akira, there was a special discount that day, and their total bill came down to an insanely low price of 7000 Yen. Akira happily footed the bill and the three of them made their way out of the restaurant, content and satisfied, still savoring the taste of the sushi in their mouth.

“We’ve totally got to bring everyone else here another time! I can’t believe the bill only ended up being 7000 Yen!” Ann exclaimed in surprise. “Oh, speaking of time, what time is it?”

“It’s nearly 1:30. I’m assuming you have a lot more time to kill, right?” Akira asked, before looking towards Penguin Sniper at the other end of the street. “We could go for a couple of games of billiards and darts if you want.”

“That sounds great! Although it’s not like I have anywhere better to be, anyways.” Ann looked a little downtrodden before she shook her head, filling herself with a newfound motivation. “Don’t go too hard on me, alright? I know you have a win streak going on, but I at least want a chance!” 

Akira chuckled as Morgana popped out of his bag, as he brought a hand over and ruffled his fur. “Well, I won’t go all out, but I won’t be letting you win either. Got that?”

“You’re on!” 

Akira only smirked as the two of them walked up the stairs into Penguin Sniper.

“ _Good_.”

_Take Your Time_

The trio spent a couple of hours switching between games, going back and forth on billiards and darts. The score-card was updated much in Akira’s favor as he knocked the last striped ball into its pocket as Ann woo’d in awe. 

“Nice shot, Akira!”

“Heh. I do try.”

Unfortunately for Akira, his shot was a little too powerful and the white cue ball followed his stripe straight into the pocket as he facepalmed, Morgana and Ann giggling on the other side of the table.

“Oops! Too bad Akira. It’s my turn now!”

Ann knew she was on her last turn, and thankfully, her last solid was directly in front of the pocket. Placing the white cue ball in front of it, she managed to pocket it with ease, being careful to avoid the same mistake that Akira had made. Thankfully, the ball didn’t go in, instead bouncing off the solid and rolled directly into the line of sight between the 8-ball and the pocket. Ann internally cheered as she confidently walked over for a better angle and sniped the ball into the pocket with no trouble at all, which resulted in Morgana erupting into cheers behind her.

“Great job Lady Ann! I can’t believe you managed to beat Akira!”

“Oh, it was nothing, really! I just got lucky…”

“Hey now, you know you’ve improved since the last time we played, right? You’re getting a lot better. If I don’t start playing again soon, I’ll soon lose the touch I previously had.” Akira chuckled to himself as he took the chalk box provided and chalked his pool cue. “Shall we move to darts? We can call it after this if you want to get a drink in the Jazz Jin.”

“I’m spent. I need a drink, if you don’t mind Akira. Let’s call it quits for now.” Ann spoke, a little worn out after her win against Akira. 

“Sure. The Jazz Jin it is.”

The two of them paid their tab, and made their way down the stairs, walking through Kichijoji as they both took a breath of the slightly cool air. Going in relative silence, they found the entrance to the Jazz Jin soon enough and made their way down the wooden staircase.

“I’ve always enjoyed the ambience here, even moreso when there’s a live performer.” Ann whispered to Akira as they were seated at a table for three. Luckily for Morgana, that meant that he had a chair for Akira to place his bag on as he popped his head out, a little short of breath.

“I agree. The ambience here has always been great, ever since I was first here nearly two years ago...” Akira quietly whispered in response, trailing off a little before he attempted to switch the topic. “So, how’s Shiho been doing?”

Ann noticed the sudden change in topic but decided not to question it, not wanting to push Akira to say more than he was comfortable to talk about. “Shiho’s been doing great! I don’t know if I told you this, but her physical therapy was a success! She still has difficulty sometimes, not unlike Ryuji, but I couldn’t be happier for her!”

Akira’s eyes lit up in surprise and joy as he received the good news. “Really? That’s amazing! I’m happy for her.”

“Yeah! I couldn’t believe it either!” Ann took a sip of her cocktail and set it down, sighing in content. “We should all meet up sometime! I don’t think she’s seen you in ages!”

“Well I haven’t seen her either since that day on the rooftop…” Akira reminisced a little, thinking back to the time he had helped Shiho up onto the roof and begrudgingly deny Ann’s confession after she had left. “Speaking about the rooftop… I’m… still sorry about that…”

“Oh… you mean…” Ann managed to put two and two together, remembering what had happened that day. Her confession to Akira was turned down, albeit with a slight tinge of regret that she could feel coming from his words. “You don’t need to feel bad for not reciprocating the feelings I had. And besides, you’re with Sumire now, and trust me when I say this, I’m really happy for you.”

“...Really?” Akira muttered quietly, just barely enough for Ann to hear as she nodded, trying to reassure him. 

“Really. You and Sumire look so happy together! I couldn’t be happier for you if I wanted to be. Trust me Akira, she’s a keeper. If there’s anything that would make me happy, it would be to stay with Sumire and take care of her.”

“Thank you, Ann. I would never dream of losing her.” Akira confidently replied with a smile on his face as he raised his glass. “Shall we toast to that?”

“Yeah. Here’s to our friendship, and your relationship.” Ann cheered as their glasses clinked, and they took a large sip of their drink.

“You’re a really great friend Ann. Thank you, for everything.”

“Don’t mention it. You’ve helped me a lot too, y’know?”

“Touché.”

The rest of their time in the Jazz Jin was spent reminiscing old times with Morgana joining in to chip in a few words of his own, before they moved on to chatting about their study plans for the future. Akira wasn’t surprised to find out that Ann was going to pursue her modelling career even further by taking a course in fashion design, and neither was he surprised to hear her reaction when he told her what he planned to pursue in his own studies.

“Wait really? Wow… I guess I could kinda see that…” Ann thought out loud. “I’m sure you’ll do great!”

“You know you will too. Have faith in yourself, Ann.” Akira took the last sip of his glass before he set it down on the table. “Trust me, if I know anything about you, it’s that you have a drive unlike anyone else. When you set your mind on something, you’ll fight for it as hard as you can.”

“Akira’s right! I’m sure of it!” Morgana voiced his agreement earnestly as Ann could only look at the two of them with a thankful smile.

“Thank you, Akira. You too Morgana. I couldn’t ask for a better group of friends.”

“Don’t mention it, Ann. That’s what friends are for, right?”

“Right!”

_Take Your Time_

“Is this where we head our separate ways for today?” Ann asked, a little downtrodden, albeit still with a bright smile on her face. Akira however could see right through the mask she had put on and gave her a hug. Ann gasped a little in surprise as she slowly came to reciprocate with Morgana joining in as well. “Saw right through me, didn’t you? I expected no less from you, Akira…”

“Of course. You’re my friend, Ann. I know each and every one of the Thieves like I know the NEO Feathermen opening by heart. I care about all of you.” Akira let her go from his hug with a smile. “Just because we’ve all spent a year apart, that doesn’t mean that we aren’t still all the closest of friends.”

“Yeah… you’re right…” Ann took a second to wipe away the tears forming in her eyes. “I… I just don’t know what I should do…”

“Don’t wanna tell me yet, huh?” Akira questioned lightly, with an understanding smile. “ I get it. Just remember that we’re all here for you. If you ever need any one of us, just let us know. I’m sure we’d all be willing to help you out.”

He heard a quiet sniffle come from Ann as she wiped away a few more tears using her sleeve. “Thank you Akira. You always seem to know how to make us all feel better…”

“Don’t mention it. Now do you need me to walk you home? I don’t want to leave you in a state like this.”

“I’ll be okay, really. Although I do need to get home pretty soon, I have some chores that I need to get done before tomorrow. But thank you for today, Akira. I really enjoyed spending a day off with someone else for a change. Are you not heading home?”

“I might stay here a little while longer, but don’t worry about me. If you don’t need me to walk you home, I guess this is where we part ways for today.”

“Right. We’ll see each other soon! See you too Morgana! Goodbye!” Ann waved goodbye as she made her way towards the station. 

“Bye Lady Ann! Have a safe trip home!” Morgana waved back from his place in Akira’s bag as Akira waved alongside his feline companion until Ann was out of sight. Once Ann disappeared into the evening Kichijoji crowd, Morgana turned to face Akira, a look of concern and curiosity on his face. “So… you aren’t heading back Akira?”

“I… have some unfinished business to attend to…” Akira trailed off as he started walking, with no real direction in mind as he sunk deep into thought. “If you don’t want to follow, you can roam around a little and wait for me in front of Penguin Sniper in maybe… thirty minutes?”

“...Alright then. I’ll be waiting for you. Don’t forget about me, okay?!” Morgana made himself heard loud and clear as Akira nodded his head in response.

“I’d never forget about you, Morgana.”

Turning around to leave, he made his way to his final stop, a place that he had yet to visit since coming back to Tokyo.

_Take Your Time_

Akira stood in front of the machine, eyes focused on the screen and his arms extended and gripping tight onto the toy-gun, taking aim and firing at the targets appearing in his line of sight and dropping them one by one, not noticing that he had gathered a crowd. 

**_*Whisper whisper*_ **

**_“Dude that guy’s pretty good!”_ **

**_“Do you think I could take him?”_ **

**_“He plays just like the King too! I wonder if they know each other...”_ **

Akira continues to blast away at the enemies that continue to appear from all sides of the screen, occasionally reloading his pistol whenever needed until the timer ran all the way down to zero. He breathed a sigh of relief as his score flashed on screen. It was a little below average, having not played Gun About for about a year now, but Akira shrugged it off, satisfied with the games he played.

Finding a place to rest, Akira took a seat after getting a can of Dr. Salt NEO and taking a sip, feeling the energizing and cool soda soothe his throat. Akira sighed and shook his head a little, looking back towards the Gun About arcade machine and drifting further into thought, memories of the past starting to resurface.

_“Phew. That was a good match.” Akechi lowered his gun as he turned to face Akira. “This game was quite fun. It’s very well made.”_

_“It seems like you’ve taken quite a liking to it.,” Akira chuckled as he set his gun into its designated spot in the stand. “Even though you did mention that you’ve never played games like these before.”_

_“That is true, although it does feel quite nostalgic…” Akechi reminisced a little as Akira tilted his head slightly in curiosity. “I used to have a toy gun when I was little, and I played hero with it.”_

_“With friends?”_

_“...No. But she was happy when I pretended to be an ally of_ **_justice_ ** _…”_

_Akira felt a slight bit of pity for Akechi, hearing the ace detective talk about his childhood memories, detecting slight amounts of nostalgia in his voice. “And ‘she’ would be…”_

_“But right now it’s different.” Akechi perked up. “Technically, I do have friends now, even though it’s mostly give or take.”_

_“I see…” Akira replied thoughtfully. “Would you consider us both friends?”_

_“Just to be clear, we made a deal.” Akechi spoke a little seriously causing Akira to tense up a little before Akechi broke into a light chuckle. “I’m joking, of course. I am a little jealous of you though, your heart is always free…”_

_The conversation ceased abruptly as Akira could only stare at his rival in silence, thinking about what Akechi meant before he shook it off, deciding not to worry about that for now. “One more match. Let’s make the most of our time here together.”_

_Akechi smiled. “_ **_If only we’d met a few years earlier…_ ** _”_

_Hearing the words slip out of Akechi’s mouth, Akira froze up, inhaling sharply before the screen in front of him started flashing red. Thoughts racing through his mind, he shook his head briefly before he returned to reality as his rival glanced at him, a smirk appearing across his face._

_“Akira? What are you doing? You’ll lose to me if you aren’t careful!”_

_Akira gave him a reassuring glance and looked confidently back towards the screen, immediately starting to blast away towards the direction of the incoming fire._

_“You’re on, Akechi!”_

“If only we’d met a few years earlier…”

Akira was soon snapped out of his line of thought when he felt a slight change of weight on his right shoulder. Turning his head a little, he noticed a black and white feline making himself comfortable in his bag. Akira nearly facepalmed as he sighed, giving his friend a scratch on the head. “Sorry Morgana, did I worry you?”

Morgana only shook his head, and looked back at Akira. “Why do you think I came to find you? It’s been 45 minutes since you told me to wait outside of Penguin Sniper, so I went to look around Kichijoji for you. I’m surprised this is where you came to though… Did you miss playing Gun About that much?”

Akira breathed a heavy sigh, shaking his head. “It wasn’t that…”

Morgana decided not to press on the issue much more and instead attempted to change the topic of conversation. “A-Anyways, shall we head home, Akira? You seem a little out of it…”

“I’m alright, I appreciate it Morgana… Although you’re right, we should probably head back before the cafe closes…”

“Right behind you, partner!”

_Take Your Time_

_“Yongen-Jaya. This is Yongen-Jaya.”_

Akira stepped off of the crowded subway car onto the ever so familiar station as he made his way up the escalator towards the exit. Swiping his card on the machine, he walked through the open gate, making his way outside into a place he used to, and would continue to call, home. On his slow walk back, Morgana popped his head out of Akira’s bag, attempting to stretch what body parts he could while still perched atop of his companion’s shoulder.

“Do you think Boss is still in the cafe? He does work a little later than usual if he’s still serving at this hour…” Morgana asked thoughtfully as Akira only shrugged his shoulders.

“Does it really matter that much though?” Akira replied a little cheekily, a wide smile on his face, having since cheered up a little after returning from Kichijoji. “We live there now, I’m sure Boss wouldn’t mind us coming back a little late.”

Akira walked past the laundromat and bathhouse outside Leblanc as he was a little surprised to see that Morgana was somehow right. The lights inside the cafe were still lit, and Akira could see a silhouette that he couldn’t recognise sitting at the bar. Taking a deep breath, he took a deep breath and opened the door, the bells chiming to announce his entrance. 

“Hey Boss, I’m back! Are… you here?” Akira shut the door behind him, the bells once again ringing their signature tune as he then turned around to a sight he thought he would never see again.

“Ah, you’re back. I must say Boss’s house blend really is something special. I wouldn’t mind coming back for more in the future.”

…

……

A person that he had presumed to be dead. One Goro Akechi was sitting at his usual spot, taking a sip of a house blend that Akira assumed Sojiro had prepared for him before ‘closing shop’ for the night. 

“Well, Akira? Are you going to stand around all day?”

“Another dream… I should have figured…” Akira quietly mused to himself, feeling an abundance of mixed emotions within him as he scowled towards the person sitting at the counter. “What have you come to tell me this time? Was your visit earlier today not enough?”

“A dream? Well I can most certainly tell you that this is definitely _not_ a dream, Akira. You and I are as real as when we last fought together against Doctor Maruki.” Akechi stated bluntly as it took a couple of seconds for his words to truly sink in. “I’m not quite sure what you meant by ‘earlier today’, but you can even ask Mona if you’d like. I can assure you that I am very, very real.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the extremely long wait once again! I've been really caught up with a lot of things, this time not as much studying but anyways I digress. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I really hope that cliffhanger was done well. About the next chapter, I want to try and get it out near the beginning of March, but I might be stretching it, so I won't make any promises I can't keep. But regardless thanks everyone for all the support and I hope that I won't disappoint with what's to come!
> 
> Special thanks to Shyne on twitter, go follow her if you haven't, she's an amazing artist and should have just posted my commission for this chapter! And of course, Tharon (RainyDays Sunset Hours) For proofreading for me like always. See you all in the next chapter!


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